It sits in the family
by Flagarach
Summary: Though luck, will and sheer determination Kusanagi Shizuka managed to slay a deity, becoming the eighth godslayer in the process. Now this is the story about how her life got turned upside down, forcing her to deal with mages, heretic gods and fellow Campione. But most importantly, can she keep her new-found powers a secret from her totally not also a Campione brother?
1. Arc 1: Goddess of Heaven and Earth

_Sixth of November, 2012, afternoon._

Hurriedly the man sprints through the cavern, using magic beyond his limits to bring the news even a few seconds earlier. The news of great importance, well worth the pain his magic reinforcement is giving.

So he keeps running, running until he sees a large open space that is well-lit by torches. He's there! The meeting place of the four main families of the History Compilation Committee, overseers of all magic happening in the island nation of Japan. Halting in the center of the room he takes a quick breath before looking at the four people sitting high above him, on ivory thrones that speak of their authority:

Seishuuin, Kuhoutsuka, Renjou, Sayanomiya. Four families that bonded together centuries ago, using each of their personal talents to take control of the magic institutes of Japan: The battle-hardened Seishuuin with a hand in politics, the Kuhoutsuka controlling finances and the cover-up in the media, the Renjou who administer all of Japan's hime-miko and the Sayanomiya who form the core think tank. Seeing the four heads of the families together is a sight to behold, but compared to what the informant saw it's like comparing gold and lead, it doesn't even come close.

"State your name and purpose." With a booming voice the elder of the Sayanomiya clan orders the man around. Still somewhat grumpy that he couldn't have his afternoon nap he would like nothing better than to punish this insolent man in front of him. "What purpose is important enough to call upon all the elders of the committee?"

"M-my name is Hideki Tatsuya, oh esteemed elders." Tatsuya is scared, afraid of these imposing leaders. Sure, it is not the worst thing he ever met, but this easily stays in his top three. The reason it is not at one is because he is describing that moment right now: "Five days ago a goddess appeared in Hokkaido. We were planning to bring in our country's Campione, Kusanagi Godou, to deal with her, but when we were about to contact him we got news that the Goddess disappeared. She vanished from the earth, but according to our reports it was not god or god-slayer who dealt with the divine being."

"Are you implying that five days ago a human slayed a god and became the eight Campione, Hideki?" The elder of the Seishuuin, the one with the most tact of the four, quickly understood the meaning, something only the Sayanomiya elder copied: "That is quite the improbable event. The time between the birth of new Campiones is almost always years, if not decades. There have been times where there was more than a century without the birth of any new Campione. And now you claim that there is a new king only a mere six months since the birth of the last one?"

As ridiculous as it sounds, it is the truth. There has been born a new king. "It is exactly as you say, esteemed elders. A young woman who was enjoying her holiday in the mountain ranges near Niseko _{1}_ got her fun interrupted by the goddess destroying most of the area around her. Though miraculous luck she managed to slay the goddess, usurping the divine power and becoming the newest god-slayer in the process."

Unbeknownst to messenger Tatsuya the elders had already placed several spells on the general area, including some that tell when someone is lying. As they give no reaction to his words the elders know that he is speaking the full truth, or at least has no intention to lie.

"We believe your words for now, Hideki." The elder of the Kuhoutsuka takes the word this time, slightly interested in this new king. "Now what can you tell us about this new lord? You said that she was here for holiday purposes, so is she Japanese or a foreigner of another land?"

"I'm afraid that she is of Japanese descent, esteemed elders." He hears at least one of the four gulp in anxiety, and the other thee start to frown at this development. Of course Tatsuya understands the problem the elders face. The newest Campione is Japanese and will probably try to settle herself in Japan. The last time two Campione fought over a single country was around a hundred years ago, when Her Eminence Luo Hao fought against a fledgling Campione also of Chinese descend. The battle was long and vicious, with two major cities wiped from the earth by the two Campione. In the end the fledgling, having lost to Her Eminence, had to flee to Russia where he lived for another fifty years before being killed in battle. If something similar were to happen to Japan then there will most likely be no more Tokyo left. In the worst case scenario there might not even be anything left of the Kanto region!

The elders start to discuss among one another about their predicament. They have multiple options available. They could stand behind Kusanagi Godou, and hope he will drive off the latest Godslayer. Of course, giving him full backing will bite them in the ass in case the eighth wins. Worst comes to worst and the HCC will stop existing.

A second option is to back both of the new Godslayers, hoping that these two can settle the conflict without any form of combat. They know that Kusanagi Godou is not interested in ruling over the country, merely wishing to live an ordinary life unless a god starts to make trouble. He would easily relinquish the country to the eighth, perhaps even joining her in combat against foreign gods and Campiones! However, this requires that the eight has the same level of calmness and rationality as Kusanagi Godou, and the only other Godslayers currently in the world who comes close are America's masked superhero and Britain's black prince, and even that may not be enough as the latter has somewhat hostile relationships with Kusanagi Godou. The chance of the eighth being this compassionate is, well, low. There is a reason Godslayers are feared beings. Just because they got one of the best and most tolerable kings doesn't mean that each king is of that level.

"Hideki Tatsuya," The Renjou leader calls the attention of the messenger in an imposing tone, "what can you tell us about the personality of this king?" Will she try to be a threat to our current king? The last part wasn't asked, but not a single person in the room didn't catch that also needed to be answered.

"As far as we know the newest Campione has a somewhat bossy personality, but is quite fair when talking to others. She responds to kindness with kindness, and abhors those who do evil to her. All in all her personality can be likened to a queen."

If the messenger used a spell to reinforce his ears he could've heard the Seishuuin elder whisper "Ha! Sounds like an interesting godslayer!" Now only the elder next to him heard those words. Instead Tatsuya got the following reply from the Seishuuin: "So it is likely to assume that these two kings will at least agree to a treaty of non-aggression, correct?" Tatsuya nodded, his answer clear. "Good. In that case I will suggest that we keep close ties to both of these Campiones, and hope that they will both protect our country from divine threats." Only few organizations have ever successfully managed to serve two lords, with currently the only three still in existence being the Copper-Black Cross, the Bronze-Black Cross, and the Chinese triads. Musing over these feats the elders realize that all these organizations have close ties to at least 'their' king, Kusanagi Godou. Erica Blandelli, Liliana Krancjar, Lu Yinghua, the former two from mage orders with ties to Lord Salvatore Doni and the third is the personal pupil of Her Eminence Luo Hao. He even managed to get Luo Hao as her sworn older sister. Really, king Kusanagi is surprisingly good at making friends and lovers.

"Esteemed Elders?" Tatsuya spoke up. It's not befitting for someone of his place, but there was one more important thing to tell. The elders order him speak, and so he does: "I believe that the chance is higher than to merely rely on mere assumptions. I can tell you with full certainty that these two kings will not fight each other for control of the country."

"Hoh?" Once more the lie detector gave negative results. He is not lying, so the elders are intrigued by his certainness. "And how can you be so sure of that?"

"Well, esteemed elders, the name of our eighth Campione is Kusanagi Shizuka."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" The elder of the Renjou shouts out. What they need are answers, not some vague- wait, why are the other three looking so shocked? Is there somethin-hold on again: "Did you just say Kusanagi Shizuka?"

"Yes, esteemed elder."

"Are… are you implying that… that…" Words try to come out of the elder's mouth, but the shock of this revelation prevents any sane talk.

"Indeed. Our eighth Campione is Kusanagi Shizuka, younger sister of the seventh."

For once the voices of the four elders was not booming, or imposing, or powerful. A simple normal voice from all four elders, each speaking the same word in disbelief: "What?"

-x-

 _First of November, early afternoon._

The seventh Campione's younger sister still really doesn't belief the kind of luck her classmate has. Somehow that classmate managed to win a five weekday long skiing trip for her entire class and their respective teacher. While lots of students in the class thanked their winner, Teshigahara Saya, for this amazing opportunity there were also lots of teachers opposed to the idea. It would cost the entire class a week of valuable lessons after all, so concessions had to be made.

The first rule made up by the teachers was that all he students need to be one week further with their homework than what they were originally supposed to be. If they cannot manage that then they need to focus on learning, not on skiing. The second rule is that they need to greatly advance their cultural project. In three weeks there will be Jounan Academy's cultural festival, starting on the twenty-first of November. Each class prepares something for the festival, and it can easily take a month to complete it into the finer details. If they did not manage to show progress they were not allowed to go.

As they are right now in one of Niseko's famous ski areas one can guess how that ended. Almost everything for the festival is already finished, It just needs to be set up. The homework was done in time and no other problems occurred that could have forced the school to abandon the trip.

Since yesterday the class has been having a good time, enjoying the plane trip and bus ride to the hotel. They arrived late in the evening yesterday, so right now is the first time the class can go enjoy the winter sports in the area.

The main force of class 2-B went to the beginner course to be taught the basics of skiing. Among the thirteen and fourteen year olds in her class were lots and lots of newcomers to the sport, at least two-thirds had never even bound skis under their feet. Only four people are experienced enough to go down the intermediate course, including Shizuka. But Shizuka did not join the others. She went for the advanced course, the only one in her class to dare such a thing and have the skills to pull it off.

It should not be allowed. A lone fourteen year old student would still be rejected. Shizuka, who is still only twelve years old, would be dismissed immediately. But like most in her family she isn't an ordinary girl. She easily managed to talk her way on the course. With her bossy personality and her queenly attitude she can get what she wants simply by asking for it the right way.

So now Shizuka is snowboarding down the advanced course. There's nary a soul on the slope, as expected for this time of the year. In normal circumstances the skiing season will start early December, and only though sheer luck is there currently enough snow lying on the mountains.

But she doesn't care. Going down the mountainside she slides through the trees, showing off the skill of an experienced snowboarder.

Another tree gets evaded with the nimbleness of a cat as she enjoys her trip downward. The first third of the slope she went down with pure fun, having travelled down at least 350 meters from the top. Seeing a nice little bump she turns her body ninety degrees, breaking her speed and stopping just in front of the tiny top. Clicking out of her snowboard she takes in the view around her:

A breathtaking view of a snowy wonderland, a world covered in snow. Shizuka looks around her and realizes that she managed to get quite far off-course. Niseko should be straight ahead, but she managed to get the city to her right. There is also a lack of trails from other skiers or snowboarders. Yep, she's definitely off the official slope now.

Since Niseko is to the right going in that direction should bring her back on track, allowing her to continue enjoying the lively joy of her holidays. But she didn't decide to directly go that way. No, there's something to her left that seems to shimmer mysteriously.

Doing what one is supposed to do or giving in to temptation and go even further off track? Perhaps it is in her blood, as Shizuka does the same thing she expects her brother and grandfather to do: She goes down to the left, after the mysterious gleam. Truly an action of a fool, as unbeknownst to her this is the first step with which she joins the highest and strongest order of foolish humans:

Snowboarding another hundred meters down she arrives at the source of the shimmer: Covered partially in the white snow lies a black stone, dark like a starless night. All light that shines upon it is absorbed in the black vortex, even Shizuka cannot keep her gaze off it.

She picks up the stone and pats off the snow, giving her a clean look at it: It's cut without fault, beyond the level of human precision. It's a perfectly shaped hexagonal prism, with two hexagonal pyramids forming the top and bottom. It's the shape quartz normally takes in natural sources, but that gem is never as black as this. Perhaps this is Onyx? It belongs to the same family as quartz, being a black version of chalcedony _{2}_.

The gemstone is weird and mysterious, but Shizuka cannot say she dislikes it. It's something that does not seem worthy for human hands, nor something that one like her would own. It's probably a nice souvenir for gramps, perhaps he knows what kind of thing this is.

Putting the stone in one of her thick winter jacket's pockets she prepares to go her way again, back to the city where she resided. There she could put away the stone and focus again on having fun. Going down the rest of the mountain she arrives back at the city, where she enjoys a nice little snack.

From the top of the mountain a woman looks at Shizuka eating her snack. Normal humans cannot see her, but if they could they would be awestruck by her radiating beauty. Men would be overcome by lust from seeing her mere silhouette, and women might kill themselves in jealousy. The only mar on her face is the slight frown her eyebrows make, as she is slightly angered by Shizuka's actions.

A human child, one of her own creation, has dared to take that which belongs to the gods? The impudence! How dares such an insignificant being take it! Death should be her punishment!

A few more seconds she spends in anger before sighing it all away. It does not matter. She threw that part of her away willingly, that ugly part of her myth. She has already been defiled enough, changed from an earth goddess of creation into a celestial daughter and wife. That stone, that [Heavenly Stone], she can part with it for a while.

And as for the human performing such a transgression to her rule… well, she can let it slide. After all, that girl will not survive her assault tomorrow… just like all the other foolish humans in the area…

-x-

 _Same day, early night._

Back in the hotel Shizuka is lying in her bed, but sleep does not grab hold of her. Her three roommates, Kuniko, Chitose and Miki, all fell asleep around an hour ago. Sure, the four of them had fun playing games like Koi-Koi _{3}_ ,doubt or old maid, but the curfew of ten o'clock stopped such happy (and loud) activities. Miki wanted to stay up all night talking, but she was the first one to fall asleep. The other two followed shortly after, leaving Shizuka as the only one still awake. Using this opportunity she snuck out of bed and took the stone out of her bag.

The stone in her hand is barely visible in the dark room, blending in with the background. Only her sense of touch tells her that the stone is still in her hand. But why does it not feel like a stone? Compared to the slick feeling of a smooth stone this feels… cold. Like holding a bar of metal. Strange, it felt like normal stone when she first picked it up. What caused the change, is it the difference between day and night temperatures? It's the only explanation Shizuka can come up with, so she decides to roll with it. No point thinking about it any further.

Deciding that she is still not that sleepy yet she opens the door to the balcony. It's completely silent, unlike her home where Tokio's nightlife can be heard clearly, or her father's place where crickets chirp from dusk 'til dawn. With the cool breeze it's a refreshing difference from the damp sleeping room.

"Kusanagi-chan? You're still awake too?" Looking to her side she sees another classmate hanging on the fence of the neighboring balcony. In the moonlight she can see some minor details about her classmate, just enough to determine who it is:

"Hello Teshigahara-san. You're also still awake?"

"Yep!" Saya grins from ear to ear, showing off her happiness to her classmate. "I've been looking forward to this trip so, so much ever since I heard I won! And now that I am here there is so much I want to do, with only so little time! It sounds almost wasteful to spend so much of it sleeping!"

Shizuka cannot disagree, there is a lot of fun to be had here. Tomorrow she's going to down the slopes the opposite side of town, snowboarding down the northern slopes instead of the southern ones. And since the day after tomorrow is spend on group activities, and after that day they have to go home, tomorrow is her last chance at some free and challenging activities.

"Oh, and Kusanagi-chan, isn't the moon beautiful tonight?" Hearing this strange remark Shizuka stops her train of thought. Did she really just say that? Isn't that one of the most famous love confessions in Japan?

No, nonono. She's probably too innocent to understand the meaning behind that sentence… right? "Teshigahara… what exactly do you mean by that?"

Shizuka's classmate looks at her as if her words are highly questionable. "I meant that the night sky is pretty. What else could I mean?"

Ah, of course, this innocent little kid will not suddenly come out of the closet and confess her lesbianism. "Ah, yeah, there's nothing else it could've meant. You're right, it is a beautiful night." Making this casual comment without hesitation she cleared all doubt about any form of relationship between the duo… so why is Saya looking so saddened? No, don't think about that!

Shizuka shakes her head to forget it all, hoping to clear her mind with the clean view of the moon. But when she gazes at the moon her thoughts only get more jumbled.

What in heaven's name is that?!

The darkness hanging between the sky, the curtains holding the glimmers of light. It is abnormal, unreal; Only one word comes to mind to describe this mess of a moon-filled sky:

The sky is broken.

Not discolored, not missing, simply broken. Nothing else seems to fit the current night. "Teshigahara-san, do you see that?"

"See what?" Saya doesn't understand the problem. How can she miss something like that?

"Look at the night sky!" Shizuka almost shouts it out, only holding back because there are people sleeping nearby. "Isn't it completely wrong?"

Saya looks hard at the sky, taking it all in, before suddenly crying out in surprise: "Aah! You're right!" Shizuka is glad, luckily not the only one realizing that something is wrong. The broken sky seems to be a natural phenomenon, an uncanny and uncommon one, of course, but still perfect logica-"Eta and Omicron Pegasi are missing! The Pegasus constellation is incomplete!" Or not. Apparently Shizuka is hallucinating.

"Yes… that's it…" Shizuka looks at her classmate who sees nothing wrong with the sky, although she is surprisingly knowledgeable about constellations. But it only makes sense that she sees nothing. If there is something wrong with the sky there should be an uproar in the city, with people trying to find out what kind of weird whim of nature this is. But if only one person notices something that the rest can't see then it is likely an hallucination.

"Kusanagi-chan, will you stay here and watch the stars with me? Let's have some fun together!" Saya offers a fun way to pass the time, but her classmate doesn't feel for it. Instead Shizuka feels nauseous from this mess.

"I'm sorry Teshigahara-san, but I'll have to decline. I feel a headache coming, and if I don't go to sleep now I might be sick tomorrow." Yes, if that broken sky continues sickness is obviously the only possible reason for it.

Shizuka waves goodbye and goes back into her room. A good rest should help against these hallucinations. She places the stone back in her backpack, and walks over to her bed. Now trying to fall asleep she succeeds rather easily.

-x-

 _The next day, late morning._

Whatever she said about her health yesterday Shizuka takes all those words back: she didn't get better, her hallucinations only got worse. The sun, the sky, the clouds; all three are as broken as yesterday's night. And a headache is indeed coming. Great. Just great.

Joining the other late risers for breakfast she prepares for another day of winter fun. A winter day filled with hallucinations, but fun nonetheless.

"Kusanagi-chan, how are you feeling? Do you have a headache?" another late riser, the one Shizuka spoke to last night, is now worried about her classmate. Shizuka did say that she felt a headache coming, and she is out much later than usual. Those are not signs pointing towards a fully healthy person, more to someone who is sick. And Saya is correct, as her neighboring classmate admits her pain.

"Ah, then stay with me for today. We can go ice-skating together, and enjoy the little shops in the area!" Taking another bite from her toast she looks at Shizuka, who is gulping down a large glass of orange juice after finishing four toasts with various toppings.

Really, Shizuka's breakfast is twice as large as that of the other kids, not even the taller boys in her class eat that much. Where does she stomach it all?

Placing the glass back on the table Shizuka respectfully declines the invitation, claiming that she still wants to go off some of the harder slopes. However, she does mention that she is free in the evening.

"Then how about we hold an evening ice skating party?" One of the boys, Takagawa Horiuchi, comes up with a proposal. "A special event, just for us late risers! Here we will enjoy the sunset as we skate together and enjoy hot chocolate!" That boy is as good as ever at charming audiences, Shizuka notes. She remembers how in class he's usually the center of all new ideas, using his above-average looks and witty tongue to convince all to his side. Only few people aren't swept by his flow, which means that the class usually responds to his whim.

And though some of his ideas are stupid Shizuka sees no faults with his idea this time. "How about we meet at six, Takagawa-san?" If it's that late then there is enough time left for her to go down the nearby mountains, and if all goes well perhaps the hallucinations will have ended by that time too. Taking a glass of water she swallows an aspirin, hoping it will make her feel better.

"No, let's meet an hour earlier, Kusanagi-san. If we meet at five we can eat somewhere together before we all go ice-skating, I'm sure that it will be much more fun for all of us. As for the restaurant… I heard that there's this really good pizzeria at 167-3 Yamada street. Is everyone okay with that?" Horiuchi looks around the table, getting affirmations from everyone. The last one to accept the proposal is Shizuka herself, the only possible opposition to the plan.

"Sure, why not? Let's meet at five in front of the place. I expect you to do the reservations for this event, Takagawa-san. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

"Of course not, Kusanagi-san." Even though he says it there is a slight hint of annoyance in his voice. He probably planned to shove that burden on one of the other people on the table, but he can't do that anymore without losing face. "I'll do that." Taking the last spoonful of his yogurt he stands up from the table, wishing everyone a fine day, "and until we meet again this evening!"

"Well, I agree with him." Wiping her mouth with a napkin Shizuka too stands up, leaving the dining area to do her own thing. "Have fun everyone, and let's all meet together at five. Don't forget that it is at 167-3 Yamada Street, everyone!" The others nod in confirmation, and Shizuka returns to her room. Here she dresses herself for a day of outdoor snowboarding:

She was already wearing the right base layer and snowboarding pants, and in a few seconds she puts on her boots and fleece insulator. Looking into her traveling bag for a beanie she sees that weird stone again. That weird stone that feels like metal and is as dark as the night.

On impulse Shizuka picks up the stone and puts it in her chest pocket. Why did she take it? Were she to think it over she would realize that it makes no sense to do so. No feeble arguments like "It might get stolen" or "I want to take it" match up against the sensible thing of leaving it in the bag.

Having placed the stone in her pocket Shizuka continues preparing for the trip, putting on her beanie and a final snowboarding jacket. There, all done! Let the snowboarding commence!

Only fifteen minutes later and Shizuka is already going up the mountain with the chair-lift, towards the highest top, where she will face a most dangerous course.

Around a mile away from her a certain goddess prepares the final steps for her plan, her way to leave her truth upon the world.

Today is the day of her revenge, where she will show the world her true nature. If Athena is the greatest mother earth goddess of the west, then she is the greatest of the east! That will not be taken away from her!

She is ready. The plan has been made. She will cause terror in the hearts of men, show them her viciousness, the truth of life and death, and in whose hand it lies. She will cause the Armageddon that she saved the earth from, and show heaven and earth her true power!

"I am all! I create life, command death, and rule humanity! My champions that serve directly under me, the five greatest from all my creations! Join this goddess to impart truth and justice on the world!"

These are not mere blasphemous words. These are spell words for activating her authority. Five creations that she holds dear, but either betrayed or was betrayed by all of them. But now they join her ranks as divine beasts once more! One by one they materialize in the world, kneeling before their master:

A nine-headed pheasant;

A jet-black dragon;

A gigantic turtle;

A woman playing a snare instrument made of jade;

A nine-tailed fox;

The goddess looks at her summons, seeing that all of them are in pristine condition. Each one is ready to fight, kill and destroy for its master.

"Milady," The fox speaks up, "we have come at your command. Please tell us what our mission is. No matter what you order us, we will get it done."

"We can destroy all of humanity for you." The dragon speaks in his own serpentine language, which sounds to normal people and mages as terrifying roars, but is easily understood by his friends. "If you want to start Armageddon, then we will unleash hell on earth."

"We're the strongest subordinates of the greatest goddess in existence." The woman with the jade instrument muses. "There is no mission we cannot complete."

"Woe upon those who ever incur your wrath!" The nine heads of the pheasant form a cacophony of tones, but their voice comes out clear: "Woe upon those that stand in your way! Your will is our law, our truth!"

"I will be your absolute shield!" The last of the five beasts swears. "Not a single hair of you shall be damaged! Even with all my legs cut off I will protect you, until there is nothing left to threaten you!"

The goddess looks at her five subjects, almost crying from their loyalty. "Ao. Zhiji. Papi. Ji. Da. My loyal companions, today is the day where we will reclaim our lost honor! Rampage through the world, destroy everything, and have the humans fear the greatest goddess of the earth! Take your own path, and destroy all in your way! That is my command, my will. My friends, let us show the world just who we are!"

"Yes!", the five beasts shout in unison before rampaging in their own direction. The turtle that tramples all in his path; The pheasant that sows confusion wherever she goes; The woman who chants spells of destruction and doom; The dragon that fires blast of water that can pierce diamonds; And the fox that crushes humanity under red-hot pillars. All five go on their own trail of destruction as the goddess oversees it all.

Gazing upon it all she deems the destruction good. The goddess laughs hysterically, before grinning evilly and claiming her victory: "Today, humanity, you will gaze upon my true self! Hahahahaha!"

-x-

 _Twenty minutes later:_

The most difficult slope of Niseko is one of the most thrilling joys in the worlds. With an average angle of 49 degrees it sits on the border between challenging fun and absurd. For Shizuka it is mainly the former, a fun way to spend a day without worrying about her family.

Nice and calm, with nothing abnormal. Well, nothing abnormal if you don't count that broken sky. Other than that it is just a normal and beautiful winter wonderland.

"Ruaaargh!" Nope. There goes normal, lifted away from earth. Because that thing makes no sense. No sense at all.

Why is there a black dragon flying in the western skies?! Is that another hallucination? Or is everything Shizuka knew in life a lie?

Loud booming noises from the east form the perfect opportunity to test it all: There, behind a mountain hill, a gigantic turtle looms. And we're talking about really gigantic. How big is that thing? Shizuka guesses that it has to be around fifty meters high, and around twice that long. Each step it takes causes small earthquakes, and whatever is underneath it gets trampled.

That cannot be real… but there is the perfect opportunity to test whether it is or isn't. If that overgrown turtle is a hallucination then she should move right through it. A mirage cannot block that which is real. Seeing a ramp made of a snow and rock to her right she has the perfect opportunity to test out which of the two strange truths is real:

If it is a hallucination then she moves right through it.

If it actually is real then she will crash into it.

Increasing her speed even more she braces herself for the jump. After going off the ramp she should be airborne for three seconds before crashing into the front leg of the beast. In those three seconds she needs to completely alter her stance so that she can grab the leg in case it turns out to be real.

Three…two…one…lift off!

The jump is performed skillfully, giving Shizuka 3 seconds to scatter her momentum and soften the upcoming blow. She braces herself, successfully crashing into the leg and holding on to it.

Conclusion: The turtle is real. Which means that the sky really is broken, dragons do exist and everything she knew is a big fat lie.

But before such thoughts enter her mind she must first find a good grip, something to prevent her from falling down. Were that to happen then she will break her bones, and either the turtle will trample her or the beast will create avalanches that will bury her. Only death awaits.

Luckily the turtle's skin is filled with ridges and bumps. Grabbing two of them with her hands she secures her position. Now that she has a good hold she has to drop her snowboard. Right now it is only a hindrance, preventing her legs from doing anything meaningful. Climbing such a giant beast is stupid to begin with, but doing it with only the hands is borderline insane.

Shizuka lifts up her feet and lets one arm go. Using her now free arm she tries to click out of the snowboard. It's difficult doing this without clear sight, but with surprising ease she succeeds. The second one isn't even a challenge now that she has one foot placed on a ridge. The snowboard falls down, soon trampled and destroyed by this behemoth. With all four limbs now free Shizuka starts climbing the turtle.

A normal girl does not even reach this place, nor would she have so much knowledge of rock climbing to endure this all. But Shizuka has seen many things that ordinary people do not, all thanks to her special family. Just like her brother has a secret cache filled with money made from the annual gambling in the family she too manages to gain money by talking her family out of it. She's already tasted more alcohol than most teenagers, is forced to keep two Casanovas in tow and is familiar with quite a plethora of sports thanks to her father spoiling her, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Neither snowboarding nor rock climbing are pleasures she isn't familiar with.

And with the amount of ridges and ledges on the beast it isn't that difficult of a task. She takes about twice as long as a professional would take to climb around thirty meters of a leg. Within minutes she finds herself atop of the turtle's shell.

The top of a turtle is just like that of a normal one. Nothing but the turtle's carapace, stretching over many square meters.

So now what? The giant beast will not roll around just because she is on top of it. Perhaps it doesn't even notice her as it continues to walk. Should she simply sit on it until everything is over?

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea for now. A wait-and-see approach to this will do. Standing near the head of the turtle she looks forward, hoping to see some human response.

"Rhaaargh!"

Okay, while that is a response it is not a human one. Looking upwards to the source of the roar she sees the dragon again. To make it worse for Shizuka the dragon seems to have noticed her too, and is quite willing to eradicate the little human in front of him.

Power gathers in the mouth of the dragon. Shizuka cannot flee from the top of the turtle, that beast will trample her if she gets off. However, nothing on top of the turtle will protect her from that dragon. It's a fork that makes Morton _{4}_ proud.

The dragon, having finished gathering power, breaths out a large beam of pressurized water. It hits a few meters in front of Shizuka, and quickly moves towards her.

It's a beam equaling death. Whatever gets in its way will be cut into dust. Rolling to her right Shizuka only barely manages to graze the beam.

That dragon will adjust its aim with the next shot. It already circles over Shizuka like a vulture over its dying prey. The mere fact that the dragon wants to kill Shizuka means that her life is already forfeit; So absolute is the power of this dragon over humans.

But Shizuka refuses. Being killed by such a beast is something she will not accept. She cannot let them rampage anymore and destroy more of the area. She will stop them!

Looking at the carapace Shizuka sees that the water somehow managed to barely pierce through the turtle's shell. This powerful and thick shell, things that one would describe as invincible, was penetrated in a single hit? What power!

There's a chance here. While a human cannot hurt these two magnificent beings they can obviously hurt each other.

Shizuka runs to the head of the turtle, hoping to make it in time for her plan. As she is ten meters away from the head the beam is fired, missing her but tracking her like a homing missile. Sprinting away from the beam Shizuka jumps on the head of the turtle, giving the dragon a dilemma of his own:

Hit the turtle at its weak spot, hurting him and making it his enemy, or stop firing and let the human live.

As a friend of the turtle the dragon would normally choose the latter, but such an option would force him to discard his honor. How can he live with the shame of failing to kill a single human? He would be the laughing stock among his friends and fellow servants!

So his beam continues, piercing through the neck of the gigantic turtle. The beast lets out a painful roar as sickly green blood is spilled. He loses balance, shifting to the left before falling on its belly. Shizuka too has to make a few steps to prevent her from losing balance. With her position shifted the dragon misses for the second time in a row.

However, he will not miss a third time! That human used a clever little trick, but all tricks only work once! He gathers power, hoping to unleash a beam of destruction powerful enough to obliterate everything in its path, even if it will damage his old friend.

Shizuka realizes this and sees how hopeless the situation is. But she won't give up. She can't die here like that. Climbing on top of the carapace once more she tries to move erratically, hoping to dodge a third time.

A voice calls out the dragon on his attack, just as he is about to fire: "Ji, stop this right now. Your anger already knocked Ao unconscious, I don't need you to kill him."

The dragon huffs, unhappy that he cannot complete his kill. He only accepts this order because the one ordering him to is his mistress herself.

"Go away from here and hunt some more humans in another place. I'll deal with this interesting one personally."

The dragon obeys and leaves the battlefield. Now Shizuka is left with the one who saved her but also proclaimed herself as the new danger.

She takes a good look at this goddess as her beauty seeps into her eyes. Without doubt she is beauty given form. Not even Godou's girlfriends can light a candle to this woman.

She stands slightly under 170 centimeters tall, with pale skin and the elegant face of a woman nearing her twentieth birthday. Her hair is a mixture of white hairs and black hairs, held together for the most part in a long braid coming to her hips. Even though the hair is distributed in color randomly no faults can be found in it. Full red lips and grey eyes show off her perfection, just like her flawless body.

With grace and poise she observes the human, giving Shizuka the charismatic smile of a great leader. "Oh, you cute little human. To think that you managed to climb Ao, and caused Ji to nearly kill him. Truly, for a human you are amazing!"

Shizuka simply looks at this woman, her charm having no effect on the girl who is used to deal with these kind of people. Her gramps and brother conditioned her to a point where even the charms of a goddess fail.

"So, what are you trying to say?"

The goddess is surprised. Her charisma, her right to rule, rejected so quickly by this human? Hah, that only makes her more interesting! "I've decided! This goddess wants you to be her priestess, the herald that tells people of the true queen of the gods! Serve me, and I shall grant you my blessings. Power, wisdom, riches, anything you desire; Serve me and it shall be yours!"

Shizuka doesn't even need a second thought for this choice: "As if! Who would serve a goddess that goes around and orders her beasts to kill people? Human, goddess, angel, demon or whatever you are is unimportant. Your actions are that of a plain murderer!"

"Hmm…" The goddess mauls over the words of this human. A normal human would be dead thrice over for such a remark, but this human is interesting. Forgiving her is allowed if there is a valid reason for it. "Human, I shall forgive you this once, assuming that you spoke out of a lack of knowledge. So let me enlighten you, child. Let me tell you why I am the righteous one:"

The goddess starts to speak with fervor about her origin, the truth about her being:

 _I am the mother earth goddess of creation. Long ago, before these lands were filled with people, I took clay and crafted humans from it, each one made with love and care. Together with my brother we taught humanity to survive, from necessary skills like hunting and cooking to the finer arts like numerology and calligraphy. Our humans became strong and wise, creators of the greatest kingdom on earth._

 _As time passed by that kingdom was sown in discord. Humanity could not serve two masters, two gods as equal heads was not comprehensible for them. Who is the greater one, the god or the goddess? War ensued between the two camps, and after a long and gruesome battle I lost. The equal sister became the subservient wife._

 _But that was not the problem. Even though I had my brother standing above me I was still the second great sovereign of earth, a ruler of the world! My myth was not desecrated, I was still the great mother earth goddess!_

 _Was I only conquered by my brother I could not justify this cause. No, my troubles started when that vile demon appeared. That green demon led a clan of renegades against my people, fighting the home those apostates once fled from. That bastard successfully conquered my country, subjecting my people to a reign of terror._

 _I… that goddess he defeated was queen no more, stripped of her position and demoted to his daughter. Torturing dilemmas were placed on her, no matter if she was preventing Armageddon or trying to destroy the royal mandate. Forced to slaughter her own subjects, forced to have her own subjects betray her, cast away from heaven on a whim, and forced to return again just when she found new happiness. That man was her definition of hell._

 _After many years of suffering that era ended, but her legacy is to this day defiled. Still she is seen as the daughter of that man, that demon. Humanity neglected the truth, not caring about her sorrows and keeping her chained in that marred myth. And even though she tried many times to alter the myth without descending as a [Heretic God], humanity fails time and again to uncover the truth._

 _Humanity's problem is simple: They have fallen from the days of old, their power diminished. Their wisdom and strength are nothing compared to the originals. So I will clean this world, wipe humanity to dust, and from the ashes I will give birth to a new kingdom, one of humans filled with truth and power! And ruling over them will be me, the true ruler of the earth!_

"Child, among these humans you are the only one I've met that's interesting. You are a worthy person to enter my kingdom. So I want you to serve me, to help me create paradise! Cull the chaff from the wheat, and find those worthy to serve under me! What do you say, human?"

"If your problem is that some god humiliated you then you take revenge on him. If you have trouble making someone understand what you say then you try harder. But instead of doing any of this you incur your wraith on people you deem weaker than yourself. You're not acting wise like a ruler, you're acting like a bullied child! Grow up and act your age, woman!"

"I see…" The goddess looks at the human who defies her. Her body is calm and tranquil, only her shaking hand giving any indication of the anger welling up inside her. "Perhaps I was wrong about you. While you may be interesting, your personality is the worst. I've decided:" Pointing the palm of her right hand at Shizuka she fires a beam of death from it. "Not a single part of your body will be left on this earth!"

[Death], like that of the rulers of the underworld, is moving towards Shizuka. She cannot dodge it, going straight for her heart. [Death] is what awaits her. Dead is what she will become. Only a miracle can save her now.

The beam strikes through, knocking Shizuka off her feet and make her fly to the edge of the turtle. Her heart is pierced, death is certain.

Yes, the goddess is certain, this human is finished. This obstinate girl has been judged upon.

So why… how does she stand up? People die when they are killed! She is inflicted with [Death]! A human cannot survive that!

No, looking at the human the goddess sees that while she pierced clothing there is no flesh harmed. Rolling on the ground before the child is a black stone, one she recognizes as part of her authority.

"So you are that human who picked up what is rightfully mine! You surprise me more and more! If only you hadn't chosen to choose sides against me…" The divine being looks somewhat saddened. She really hoped that this human would serve under her. "I shall grant you a death filled with honor! Stand up and take that stone in hand. When you arrive in Diyu _{5}_ , tell its ruler that you died fighting the greatest goddess of all!"

Still staggering Shizuka picks up the black stone. As far as she knows it is a divine stone that can block beams of death and is virtually indestructible. But that stone is not important. Right now she only looks at that misguided divinity in front of her. "Really, you're as oblivious as my brother. You can't even see how humans live their lives in the current day and age. Dying as a warrior is something of an age long past. Give that honor to those Spartans of Thermopylae _{6}_ , what I want right now is that you get some sense knocked into you!"

"Really? The goddess asks with a vile smile. "Well then, I'll allow you to try." The goddess moves to the back of the turtle's carapace, taunting Shizuka to follow her.

Taking her up on the taunt Shizuka runs towards the goddess, but loses a bit of her concentration as she hears divine chants from her opponent's lips:

"From clay I made humanity, with rope I made them stand up. As the mother earth goddess I will make man once more; oh newest of humans, rise from the earth!"

Exactly as she spoke it happens. Thousands of soldier rise from the earth, each one made completely from clay and dressed like a soldier from the terracotta army _{7}_.

But Shizuka does not look worried. Even though she is presented with such absurd magic she simply looks at the soldiers. The soldier who stand on earth. While Shizuka and the goddess stand almost forty meters higher. A distance the soldiers cannot bridge since they lack the magic of flight.

"Wow, I used to think gods like you would stand above such stupid mistakes." Really, there was absolutely no reason to use that authority other than making a fool out of oneself.

"Yes, those little ones have no use like that." As the goddess speaks these words the clay people fuse together, until instead of thousands of human-sized warriors five gigantic warriors stand. "But at this size, they might be a tad useful, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Just a tad though." Even though she is now surrounded by five clay beings of fifty meters tall fear is the last thing she is thinking about. She's set on correcting that person. Her adrenaline-filled body only cares about stopping the goddess, unimportant if it's done nicely of slightly less nicely. Continuing to run at the goddess Shizuka is certain that she can solve it.

The five clay giants try to stop Shizuka from reaching their mistress by crushing the human with their gigantic arms, but just like a young child trying to reach a high washing table the huge warriors can only clumsily swing their arms at the human.

Dodging most of the blows Shizuka steadily advances towards the earth mother. The giants continue to clumsily swing as usual, except for their brother standing closest to the goddess, who has a better idea: Sweeping his arm over the turtle's carapace he successfully manages to throw Shizuka away from the goddess. Flying through the air Shizuka is headed towards the end of the turtle and below. If she continues to move like this she will fall off the turtle, and as she earlier predicted only death awaits down there.

That cannot happen. That will not happen. She tries to grab the shell, hoping to get hold of the turtle, but she moves too fast to get a good grip. The one time she did get a good grip on the ground she had to let go almost immediately as she felt her left shoulder dislocate from the sudden lack of movement compared to the rest of her body. No, her speed is barely decreasing.

It looks grim for our heroine. She is now rolling over the turtle's shell, having lost all her aerial momentum. She tries to increase her contact with the ground, slowly decreasing her speed with the power of friction, but she will still fall off at this rate.

And as she guessed so she does. Death is now certain.

…

But Shizuka will not accept such an outcome.

Grabbing the edge of the turtle's shell she barely manages to hang on. She climb back on, her stance a bit unsteady from the damage she has taken. Now standing back on a firm surface she gives a quick glance at the [Stone] that let her survive that blow. If that stone did not disperse the force of the blow then she would not just suffer from a broken rib.

Combine the broken rib with her dislocated left shoulder and one cannot say that the situation seems well for her. However, in front of determination luck and glory show. Because of that last blow an opportunity is presented for Shizuka:

One of the giants, having seen how effective his partner hit the human, thought it a good idea to try the same maneuver. While not exactly a stupid idea this one forgot that the first giant swept away from the goddess, while he's sweeping towards her!

And there is a chance. A chance only a fool, but no normal man will think about. She's going to let herself get hit to get closer to the goddess. What's a rib in this situation compared to closing in at least seventy meters?

Shizuka can almost hear the other four giants screaming to have their brother stop, to not let her go near the mistress. But the attack continues, and as another rib breaks Shizuka flies through the air towards her goal.

The four giants try to mend the damage, hoping to pluck her out of mid-air, but all fail. The final giant, realizing that grabbing her is impossible, tears off his arm and lets it fall on the turtle before he crumbles apart into the normal-sized warriors he originally existed from. Somewhat more than a hundred warriors rise from the arm, forming a defensive perimeter around the goddess.

Shizuka keeps running at the squadron, uncaring about that which is in her way. Perhaps she would cautiously approach it without her body pumping thrice the normal amount of adrenaline, but without that rush of adrenaline she would probably be dead.

The goddess looks truly angered for once. This human… still goes at her? Just like that? And her creations, her authority, her [Clay Warriors], they are actually defending instead of attacking? "You fools! Why are you scared of a single human?! Charge! Kill her!" Upon her command the warriors are forced to charge at the human, and that should be enough. That girl cannot beat 125 warriors all alone, not with her body like that. But to show respect to this human, this girl that managed to hold on for so long, she decides to use another authority, her [Snakes]: "As the snake goddess, I invoke my rule. Serpents, gather before me!"

Upon her command five serpents appear before her, each having a long body of almost ten meters long. All five are ordered to charge the human and kill her on sight.

Shizuka continues to run. It's just 130 enemies. It could be worse. Her common sense long gone she now purely acts on instinct and wit, trying to figure out how the soldiers move and how to evade them. The soldiers are like gears in a watch, well-coordinated with each other so that none shall pass. However, this sudden and abnormal charge can be compared to someone breaking the watch and putting all the gears back in haphazardly. There are holes in their movements, gaps that Shizuka can exploit.

She can see it. A path through those beings. Taking that path will surely bring her to that goddess! She runs through the warriors and the puppets, not forsaking any seconds on battling these abominations of common sense.

The path she sees is true. Someone can run through it to the goddess. "Kuh!" But that doesn't mean that that person will stay unharmed. A clay sword leaves a shallow cut on her thigh, followed by another cut to her left arm. Wasting too much time on dodging these weapons will be lethal for Shizuka, so she simply continues running.

Around five seconds does her charge through the army take, but it feels like an eternity of countless cuts. Another cut appears on her back, but this one too is too shallow to hinder her. A spearhead breaks off the stick it was attached to, embedding itself in her side. But that's okay, at least no blood is spilt from that wound. A snake slithers though the clay ranks and dives at Shizuka, biting off her left arm. 'tis but a scratch compared to what could've happened. At least she still has her non-dislocated arm holding onto the stone.

With countless wounds on her body Shizuka continues running to the goddess. Less than ten meters stand between these two, a distance covered in seconds. Seeing victory close by hope appears for Shizuka, a chance finally presenting itself!

"GAH!"

But alas, there is a reason hope is called the last evil in the world. Just when the divine enemy is within reach a clay soldier manages to get a direct hit on Shizuka. His spear pierces through her lung, only barely missing her heart.

Damn it! She was so close too!

The goddess smiles, realizing that it is finally over. Silently she laments the death of this worthy human. Summoning a simple rapier in her hand, one formed from her divine power, she walks towards her adversary.

"It's a shame, human. Though your fighting was valiant victory is inevitably mine. Be honored, for I shall personally send you to the grave. With my blessings I shall let you descend to Diyu!" She brings her head in front of Shizuka, caressing her cheek. Before dealing the final blow she gives a final question to this cute little warrior: "Any last words, human?"

Shizuka has exactly one:

"Pah!" Shizuka coughs up blood and spits it in the face of the goddess. That face, held at the same height as that of this little girl, is now covered is a mixture of spit and blood.

"You…!" The goddess howls in anger and surprise. This! Of all things that could've happened she did not expect this! The audacity of this human!

A fraction of a second. That long does the goddess stay bewildered over this event. More than enough time for Shizuka to make a final attack. Grabbing the [Stone] tightly with her remaining hand she stabs the goddess in her side.

It is a painful blow, for sure. The goddess feels it, the last spark of this interesting human. But it isn't fatal. For the goddess this blow is about as annoying as breaking a bone is for a human. Painful, but not lethal and perfectly able to make a full recovery from.

But Shizuka does not stop there. She screams it out from pain as she sacrifices her body, her energy, her life force to stop this monster from destroying the area. But that will not be enough. That shall not be enough. That goddess should not die from such a blow. But a few miraculous strokes of luck want to help this girl in her foolish quest.

First of all is the gemstone itself. It is not a simple gem, nor some kind of ordinary magic item. That gem is a fifth of an authority, one of the five [Philosopher Stones] _{8}_. Each of the five stones is a magic gem holding great power over their specific element: [Fire], like the gods of the sun; [Water], like the weather gods; [Earth], like the mother earth goddesses; [Wood], like the gods of nature; And finally this specific gem that holds the last element [Metal], like the gods of steel. It holds such a high affinity with those gods that the gem can literally be called [Steel]. Inside of the gem lies enough energy to perform a phenomena of [Steel]-based miracles. The only thing it needed to perform such a feat is the energy to start the engine of the stone, the tip that sets it all in motion. And the life force of Shizuka is just enough for that purpose.

Her will is simple: Stop this goddess. And thanks to the simple act of slamming the gem in the goddess' side the stone can. After all, it is a stone of [Steel]. What it is trying to slay is a proclaimed mother earth goddess. It is only fitting that [Steel] will end [Earth].

So the stone becomes true [Steel], piercing through the goddess and destroying her body from within. The entire inside of the goddess is destroyed, all that is left standing is an empty husk that will soon scatter in the wind.

The defeated queen looks at the human in front of her: Dead, her life force completely gone. But certainly she will come back to life soon. After all, she did manage to deal a mortal blow on a goddess. Without doubt she will become a newborn Campione.

Silently the goddess laments her own death, before laughing out loudly. Louder than ever before, loud enough to cause an avalanche with sheer voice power.

It is not a happy laugh of joy. Not a sarcastic laugh of sadness. No, she simply laughs at the foolishness of it all. Had she been defeated by a god, it would have been annoying but acceptable. It's not like it's the first time in history it happened, and defeat is something everyone will one day face. Had she been defeated by a Campione, one of those wretched kind, it would have been infuriating but still somewhat acceptable. After all, they are famous for using the powers of the gods against them. But to be slain by a human, one without any power; Oh, the foolishness of it all! It's like a really bad play, and she is the star actor!

"Human. I have never caught your name, nor did you ever catch mine. But that does not matter, for the goddess you have slain is undefeated in her field! My true name should be obvious, future king! Hear these words, wherever you are, and accept this fact: You have slain the greatest ruler of the east, and now join the ranks of the children of Epithemeus! Young god-slayer, become a king of unparalleled strength, powerful enough to carry both heaven and earth! I will meet you again, youngster! Become proof that no one can stand against my power! Hahahahaha-urgk!" Her laughter is interrupted by divine blood coughed up from her throat. She takes a final look at the earth before closing her eyes for the last time. "Hahaha… I guess that I'm not really a mother earth goddess anymore if I can't even beat a human with these powers… I take it back, girl… You weren't cute…at…all…" The goddess crumbles into sand, the finest particles of earth, and with a shimmer both the five monsters roaming the land and the thousands of clay soldiers vanish from existence.

Second of November, 2012, 14:23. At this date a new king is born.

-x-

{1} Niseko: A city in Hokkaido famous for its ski resorts. Located at the coordinates 42.8000 N, 140.6833 E.

{2} Chalcedony: A variation on quartz. Where quartz is structured in a hexagonal form chalcedony is cryptocrystalline. Both are made from silica-dioxide (SiO2).

{3} Koi-Koi: A popular game in Japan that makes use of hanafuda cards. The goal is to match cards from your hand with the pond on table to create point-scoring combinations. When you bring your opponent's points to zero you win.

{4} Morton: John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury in the fifteenth century. A fork of Morton is a situation in which both options will result in a similar unpleasant situation.

{5} Diyu: The Chinese underworld, ruled over by the ten Yama's, who are the gods of death.

{6} Thermopylae: In 480 BC a great battle between the Greeks and the Persians occurred here. There were around 7.000 Greeks facing an army of 200.000 Persians. The Greek held for seven days before they got completely flanked. Realizing that the battle was doomed the Greek king Leonidas stayed behind with 1.500 warriors to let the others regroup. Of these warriors 300 were Spartans. Their last stand would become the most famous one in history. Gave rise to films like "300".

{7} Terracotta Army: A large army of clay soldiers found in a Chinese tomb. Thousands of soldier with each having a unique look stand here.

{8} Philosopher's Stone: A stone/group of stones responsible for supernatural miracles. Most famously known for in the west for turning base metals like mercury or lead into noble metals like gold and silver. Other famous western applications are to grant limited immortality, cure diseases, and create false life (homunculi), while in the east they grant the user control of the elements, keep one safe from disasters and bring him closer to enlightenment.

-x-

 **Afterword:**

Hello everyone, Flagarach here!

The origin of this fanfic of Campione! was created when I was reading the short stories from the original light novel, as there are several scenes that portray Godou's little sister Shizuka. Upon reading them a question started to throb: Isn't Shizuka just as foolish as Godou? Most see her as a jealous bro-con who dislikes Godou for every girl he brings home, but she reminded me more of pre-Campione Godou (Volume 3 Godou)… except that she is bossier and queenlier than her brother. And thus a second question formed:

"If the circumstances were slightly different, couldn't Shizuka become a Campione?"

I thought about it for a while and realized that I had to answer with a yes. It's even downright stated in volume eighteen, where her solution to helping a friend obtain money for a graduation trip is to set up her own shop and hire her friend. Pretty much everyone but Godou and Shizuka themselves call the Kusanagi siblings extraordinary.

So how do you start such an idea? I could've taken the easy path and have Shizuka go to Italy instead of Godou, but I instantly disliked it. I didn't want a replacement, I wanted something new, with actual influence! Not only that, but making both of them Campione would result in interesting scenes where both siblings try to hide the supernatural from one another without knowing that the other is in the same boat as them. So I had to come up with an original time, place, god and reason.

Time was the hardest problem. Campione are usually not born one after the other, and the period between Black Prince Alec and John Pluto Smith, one of the shortest in Campioneverse history, still took two years. There have even be periods of a century without any newborn Campione. Just a month or two after Godou's ascension would be improbable and wrong. On the other hand if I chose a year or more it would mean that I have no canon to work with, and considering that the series is currently hanging on a cliffhanger with all the Campione hunting each other in a battle royale means that the future is very uncertain. That won't do at all for the story.

So I took the middle road and placed the start of this series around half a year after the birth of the seventh Campione. Time-line wise this happens a few days after the arc about the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, or just after volume 7.

The place of birth is still in Japan, but located far enough away from Tokyo that Godou does not bother with it. Shizuka is only there because the divergence of canon in this fanfic is that Shizuka's classmate won a holiday trip for an entire class in a lottery, while in canon this never happened.

About the goddess in the story… while her name is not mentioned there should be enough hints about her true identity. If you cannot guess it yourself, then don't worry: her true name is given at the end of chapter 2, which you can read right now.


	2. First Recognition

_Netherworld_

How early… humans have really become amazing these days.

Pandora, 'witch goddess that knows all' and 'mother of the god-slayers', looks at her youngest child with curiosity. It's been only six months since her seventh child, her fourth son known as Kusanagi Godou, slayed his first god and became her child. She expected that there wouldn't be a new child of her for at least a few years, but to think that another is born within half a year! How early! How special!

She examines her newborn child: A daughter, which puts her total amount of children back at the balanced number of four sons and four daughters. She also looks quite young: twelve, thirteen, perhaps fourteen if small for her age. Usually her children are reborn between their fifteen and twentieth year.

But oh well, Pandora doesn't care for such trifle details. Seeing one of her children is always an immense joy, something that usually only happens twice, maybe thrice a year.

"Hoho, to think that the mother earth goddess of the east has been slain. Ah, you did well, my newest child. How long ago was it that there were eight Campione at the same time?" Reminiscing about the past Pandora remembers some of her deceased children, those that existed a long time ago. "It was a thousand years ago, was it not? Would that mean that that powerful [Steel] will wake up soon? Hopefully at least some of my children will survive this time…"

Thoughts about what is yet to come will have to wait, Pandora's child is about to wake up. Placing herself next to Shizuka's body she starts the chant for her most famous and influential authority:

"The dark ritual that gives birth to the illegitimate child of a fool and a witch. A rite of usurpation made possible by the sacrifice of a god and oneself. All conditions have been met. Grant your blessings and your hatred on my kid, the newest Campione. Possessing the destiny of the youngest devil king, please bestow the sacred spell words on this kid!"

Opening her eyes Shizuka sees a world full of grey. Literally grey, a monotonous world where sky and ground are indistinguishable, a complete void of nothing but grey. Well, nothing except for that girl sitting next to her.

Shizuka tries to get up, but her body does not agree with that action. It's as if every motion of her body will disrupt her existence, so on pure instinct it will not move. It isn't helped by the nausea she is feeling; it's comparable to carsickness, only worse.

The only thing that Shizuka seems to be able to do is move her mouth and speak. Having nothing better to do she starts to talk with the only other person there:

"Who are you?"

Bowing over Shizuka the strange woman introduces herself as Pandora, the legendary goddess who brought all curses and hopes in the world. "I descended from the domain of immortality to this place with the express intent of meeting my daughter."

Another goddess? It sounds absurd, but considering that Shizuka still has some figments left of fighting that [Mother goddess of Earth and Creation], it sounds believable. However, this is the first time she hears of direct familial relationships between divine beings. Sure, that other woman was both wife and daughter but that was simply rewritten history, not an actual bond between true parent and child. Another intriguing question is that as far as her knowledge of Greek myth goes Pandora never had any children. "Where's your daughter then?"

"Do you see anyone other than you here? I'm talking about you, silly!"

Really, there are so many things wrong with this idea. Since when is Pandora responsible for taking in random human kids and making them her children? Shizuka can almost see her father stand up against this woman for taking his 'dearest daughter' away. "If you want one of my kids, take my useless son instead!", he would say while protesting loudly.

"Huh." But whether or not she somehow became the child of Pandora is not really that important. It won't change much about the situation anyways. It's more important to learn about her current location and surroundings:

"So, where are we exactly? This doesn't look a lot like earth."

"Correct. This place is known as [The domain between Life and Immortality], but you might know it better as 'right before the afterlife'."

"So does that mean that I died?"

"Yes, that's right. You fought a goddess, and died in the process."

"Ah." Well, that sucks. Shizuka didn't expect that she would die this early. "However, Pandora-san, the-"

"That's not how you call your dear mother!" Pandora interrupts loudly, not liking that she is called as if she is a stranger. "Call me mama, maman, mutti, mommy, whatever you prefer to call me. I'm your mother after all!"

"So… mo…ther…" Shizuka finds slight difficulty to spit those words out. To call Pandora as intimately as mama is impossible, the formal mother seems to be the best she can do. "About what I was asking earlier, if I really died then why am I still stuck between life and death right here? Did you somehow mess with my reincarnation?"

"Something like that, yes. The reason this is all happening is because you managed to slay a deity. Remember that goddess you fought? During your fight with her you two caused mutually assured destruction of one another."

"And let me guess, humans who commit deicide will be pulled from the cycle of rebirth to spend their afterlife as the children of Pandora?"

"Half points, dear, but you're quite close!" Pandora admits, pointing up a finger as she goes into lecturing mode: "You indeed become my child, but you won't be spending your time here in the afterlife. After all, the curse placed upon you will revive you in a few moments. You return to the living and absorb the power of the god you have slain. You will stand at the pinnacle of all magi, and become known as a godslayer, a Campione!" Each word is spoken with more and more bravado, as if building up to the apex of a play. "You will become one of my children, and live a tale more epic than the myths of old!"

"That sounds like some bad B-rated novel idea someone came up with on a whim."

"Well, it might sound so, but I assure you that it is all real…" Pandora sweats visibly, clearly not liking where this is going. "Yep, this is all real. Ahaha…"Pandora knows the truth, somewhat, because one day she overshot her ability to see into [Akasha], the void that contains past, present and the future. Did her newest child subconsciously perform a similar feat?

Oh stop thinking about that! Pandora mentally slaps herself on the cheeks and continues to have a lively chat with her child: "But apart from that, all obligations you have to your dear maman is to live a nice and interesting life! Ah, though it would be nice if you could be friends with your brothers and sisters."

"Brothers and sisters?" Shizuka asks in surprise. On second thought it actually makes a lot of sense: If gods do exist, then the act of killing one should've been performed before too. The main question is how many other godslayers are there?

"Yep, your older brothers and sisters. You have three older sisters and four older brothers, spread over the entire world. Each of you has slain a god, and taken its powers for themselves. Their relationships are… complicated. Some have bonds of sworn siblinghood, others are just friends, some ignore each other's existence, and a few want nothing more than to fight each other to the death."

"Sounds like a healthy family… mother." Shizuka says sarcastically, still having a hard time spitting out that last word. Suddenly calling Pandora mother still is very awkward. Perhaps it gets better with time.

On the subject of Shizuka's new family, they sound like people from all ends of the spectrum of humanity. There's really not much to say about them now, but a hunch tells her that they are only going to cause trouble and Shizuka will have to pull them back in line. This means that the number of troublemakers Shizuka will have to deal with in her life has increased from two to nine, what a bother.

"Fufu, my dear children all have a very lively and interesting personality, so naturally some of them will be a bit weird. But I assure you that I love each and every one of them, including you…" At this moment Pandora falls silent, realizing that she completely forgot to use the void to figure out the name of her newest child. How stupid of her! Before her newest child can find out this sloppy mistake of Pandora the goddess uses her authority to search for the missing name.

Two seconds or so were needed to find the name. Kusanagi Shizuka, Japanese. Family…

"Pfft." Pandora figured it out as she now tries to hold back her laughter, without success. "Hahahaha!"

Shizuka simply looks at Pandora and wonders why she suddenly started to laugh out loud. "What's so funny?" She asks to her new mother.

"Remem…Remember what I said about tho-cough-those siblings of yours, and how you had to treat them as your brothers and sisters? I neve-hahaha, I guess you have to take that a little bit more literally! Ahahaha! My sides, my sides!"

As Pandora continues to bend over from laughter Shizuka examines the words spoken. Literally treat them as brothers and sisters? What does she mean by th-Oooh. Shizuka's eyes go wide open as she realizes what Pandora implies.

That can't be! He… did Godou… "Do you mean to say that…"

"Yep, Kusanagi Godou is also my child! This is the first time I've seen a literal set of siblings both become Campione. Congratulations Shizuka, you've written history!"

"Oh you've got to be kidding me."

"Too bad for you, I'm really not joking around! Godou slew the god Verethragna last spring, and became my seventh child."

Last spring? Isn't that when Erica and the other girls got in his life, and when he… "Onii-chan! I can't believe it, was your claim of pacifism all a lie? To misuse your status to gain a harem, you're the worst kind of person in existence! I'll give you a good lecture after I return to earth!"

Meanwhile back on earth Godou feels a shiver down his spine, his instincts telling him that something really bad is going to happen.

But that isn't what he should be focusing on. Now he must give it his all to fight the remains of true lord Erlang, which can only be done by abandoning the [Sword] and combining Ame no Murakamo with the [Raptor].

As the fight on earth rages on the rage in the netherworld can easily lead to a fight, as Shizuka is rather angry with her brother. His slaying of a god, while stupid, cannot really be judged as wrong since Shizuka did the same. His perverse lust of gathering a harem with his newfound powers, even if he denies it? That has to be rectified.

"Onii-chan, when I come back I believe I need to teach you a harsh lesson or two. Unlike you I don't plan on misusing my powers against humanity, but against a devil king like you I'm certain I can use some of my new powers!"

"Well, I'm afraid you need to remember that knowledge first."

Remember? She knows it right now, why should she need to remember it? Shizuka asks for the meaning of Pandora's words, and her dear maman is willing to answer.

"Well, since right now you are still transitioning from a normal human to a Campione your memories of events in the netherworld are messy. Perhaps if you return here after becoming a full-fletched Campione you might recall these events, but unless you go _kzzzt_ for this realm or obtain some sort of resurrection ability like _kzzzt_ it might take quite some time to return here."

Parts of the conversation became static, forming gibberish Shizuka cannot understand. At the same moment her vision starts to pixelate, as if she is staring at some old video game. "Wait… what did you say?"

One of the last few things that Shizuka can make out with her vision is the saddened face of Pandora. "Ah, it seems that tim _kzzzt_ afraid that this is goodbye for now. _Kzzzt_ good time, and don't be too harsh on _kzzzt!_ "

Shizuka feels her connection with this plane disappear. She loses her means of interfering with this realm: no more words can come out of her mouth, and neither ears nor eyes register anything anymore. As the memories of this talk turn into a scattered mess that cannot be recalled back on earth she feels herself being pulled back to her home planet.

-x-

 _Fourth of November, late evening._

"Ugh…" Shizuka's memories are foggy as she wakes up. Opening her eyes she quickly realizes that that action was a mistake. Immediately she closes them so that she can only watch the blinding light from between the slits of her eyes. Where is this place? Heaven? For some reason she can remember something like dying…

Her eyes still adjusting to the new light source she quickly figures out that no, this is not heaven. The bright light comes from a lamp, and the people in white uniforms walking around seem to indicate that this place is a hospital.

Hold on, not a hospital. If the drab green walls that are made of cloth are anything to go by this seems more like something used by the Japanese Self Defense Force, a field hospital.

Yes, it does seem more like that. There are indeed a few nurses in white but most of the people walking around are dressed in military uniforms.

Shizuka ponders about why she is here. Slowly the memories are coming back, although there are some inconsistencies: As ridiculous as it sounds she remembers having her arm bitten off by a gigantic snake, alongside many other wounds. However, right here in the hospital she looks unharmed with both arms still firmly attached. Not a single wound that had been inflicted during that fight can be traced back, no damage is visible on her body.

Was it all a dream? Did the hallucinations overwhelm her and make her faint in the snow? It sounds right, logical even, but there's something wrong with that.

If all that happened are these hallucinations, and nothing else occurred… then why is she in a field hospital?

These buildings are used in emergency situations when there is not enough room in the hospitals around a disaster area to take care of all the wounded. Just a hallucination would have had her end up in a normal hospital bed, not this place. That means something else must have happened.

"Ah, Kusanagi-chan, you're finally awake! You've been sleeping for more than a day now!" Still pondering over the truth Shizuka hears a familiar voice next to her. On the bed next to her lies her classmate Teshigahara Saya, her left leg in a plaster. Her smile is as bright as ever, but something feels off about it.

"Yes, it certainly appears so. For some reason I don't know we both ended up in a field hospital. Would you care to enlighten me, Teshigahara-san?"

"Well, I've been told that an earthquake of magnitude eight on the scale of Richter caused a massive outbreak of avalanches. The entirety of this district suffered from a natural disaster, killing more than a thousand people…" Her smile isn't bright anymore. Now it is filled with sorrow and blame.

Shizuka understands. She gets a feeling why Saya is so down. "How many of our class died?"

"Natsumi-chan… Ikari-kun… neither of them survived. I… I saw their dead bodies when they were carried away. The only ones I'm sure of that survived are you, me and Takagawa-kun who lies in the tent next to us with a broken arm. The others I haven't seen yet."

"Ah, I see. That's sad to hear." Well, it's to be expected. Natural disasters always carry risk with them. If you're in the vicinity of one you can expect death to follow close by. "Anyhow, this seems to be a ward for lightly injured people, correct?" The people on this block seem to have at worst some non-threatening condition like broken bones or non-threatening cuts.

"Yes. The people with important injuries are in the hospitals being treated by specialists, and the lesser injured were taken to the tents regulated by the army. Looking at you I think you might be dismissed pretty soon, Kusanagi-chan."

"Yes, you're right." Shizuka's body is in pristine condition, even if her johnny gown indicates that the wearer is ill.

"Excuse me, misses." Interrupting the two girls is a man of the military, a medic if his red cross bracelet is anything to go by. Average height with a muscular build, and a face that falls under not specifically remarkable with the exception of his rather fabulous moustache. "My name is Fukunaka Torio, a military doctor working here. Since you just woke up I need to make a few checks on you. First of all, are we correct that your name is Kusanagi Shizuka?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Picking the patient board from the front of the board the man starts to write on it, simply confirming or denying some info. "Okay, check. And what Teshigahara-san next to you said about being her classmate, is that correct?"

"Indeed, she's from my class. I'm a second year at Jounan Academy, middle school division, and our class is here for a holiday trip. I'm only afraid it has been ruined a bit."

"I'm sorry for that. But that means that this information is probably correct. You're currently twelve, and hold your birthday in a month."

"That's right."

"Well, let's inform you about what happened first: One day ago we found you unconscious in the snow a kilometer to the northwest of Niseko. However, other than your lack of consciousness and ruined clothes you were not suffering from any kind of injury." Suddenly the air around the man changes, something forming in his mouth. It lacks any sort of form, something that cannot be picked up with just the five normal senses, but Shizuka can track it no problem.

"The cause for this catastrophe is an earthquake of magnitude 8.3, which caused massive avalanches in the vicinity of Niseko. It seems that you managed to get lucky, the avalanche that you got in was a small one, and the cause of your clothing damage is a patch of somewhat sharp rocks you rolled over. You must be glad that you did not get hurt otherwise." The words are the anomaly Shizuka picks up, as she can feel them float towards her. However, just as the words try to enter Shizuka's body they disintegrate into nothingness.

Yeah, that isn't normal. The truth is what Shizuka desires now more than anything, so she will simply have to talk her way into it.

"There's no need to hide the truth from me." Not spoken like a harsh king or someone who doesn't know what just happened, but spoken as if coming from a friend, a comrade. Deducing that this man is probably not working on his own in this abnormal world the chance is likely that he is a grunt of some unknown organization. If she can make him believe that she too belongs to that group then gaining info will be a lot easier.

Fukunaka Torio looks at Shizuka, confused by this event. The kid in front of her who should've been another victim of easy hypnotizing shakes off his spell without much trouble before claiming to be a member of the History Compilation Committee. Somewhat shaken he follows procedures to make sure that nobody hears about it.

Using hypnosis again on the beds next to Shizuka both of her neighbors are ordered to "ignore the discussion on the bed next to them." To Shizuka's secret surprise both of them swallow these commands without resistance.

The man turns back to Shizuka, his confidence regained. "So," he asks, still slightly filled with doubt. "you're a member of the Committee too?" Suddenly the man thinks of a possibility. A reason why this twelve year old might be affiliated with them. "Now that I think about it, you might be one of our hime-miko." Believing his own words he enters a continuing cycle of self-suggestion, until he is certain that this girl is one of his. "You are, aren't you?"

"What does it look like, of course I am! I'm certainly not an ordinary girl, that's for sure." There's no reason for this man to try and fake Shizuka out with a bluff. Shizuka knows that she proved her abnormality by blocking that hypnosis-like thing the man was doing. He has no reason to bluff here, so an answer like this will do.

The man grumbles, having to admit that what Shizuka says is probably true. "Come with me, you need to meet the others stationed here. I assume you can walk properly?" Shizuka steps out of bed, finding no problem with movement. "Good. Then let's discuss what happened here on the way. There's a meeting in a few minutes, and it would be nice if you could introduce yourself to the rest of the team."

Shizuka stands up and walks away, but gets stopped by her classmate. "Where are you going, Kusanagi-chan?" She asks, not wanting to let her friend go like that. Did she just break off whatever that man did by pure willpower, or was that… thing he did only aimed at words and not actions?

"I'm not wounded, Teshigahara-san. If they doctors cannot find anything wrong with me then I will be discharged from this place." After all, in a crisis like this they prefer to have all who are unharmed leave the hospital to make personnel and space free for the truly wounded.

"Ah…" Saya does not like it, but she will have to let Shizuka go. "Will you still visit me if you have the time?"

"Sure. Just focus on getting better."

"Okay, until later!" Saya waves off her classmate, who starts to walk away with the soldier.

When out of range from her friend Shizuka starts to ask questions: "So, Fukunaka-san, how much do we know about the current situation?"

"Two days ago five divine beasts appeared at the same time. A nine-tailed fox controlling fire, a nine-headed pheasant, a gigantic turtle causing earthquakes, a woman playing a jade guitar and-"

"A jet black dragon firing water blasts, I know." Interrupting this common knowledge Shizuka plays the impatient and knowledgeable comrade role perfectly. Her companion looks annoyed at the response, but continues like nothing happened:

"As I was saying, five divine beasts appeared near Niseko. They rampaged through the area for approximately three hours before suddenly disappearing without a trace. We also noticed traces of a divine being, most likely the [Heretic god] commandeering the beasts. There were a few claims of normal people claiming that they saw a woman floating in the air and giving off the aura of a goddess. If we purely go by appearance she is absolutely gorgeous, with her most noticeable feature being a combination of black and white hair tied in a braid."

That sounds exactly like that woman Shizuka fought. Of course, no need to tell that right now. After all, in this infiltration secrets are her only weapon.

"While she was seen by two of our own nobody managed to witness her unleash any authorities on the world. We also don't know about her current location, though it is strange that she vanished without a trace. For now we assume that the divine enemy we are facing is a goddess of [Beasts] or a goddess of [Nature] who has disappeared from our senses."

"[Earth]." Shizuka still fails to understand a few of these terms. The difference between [Heretic gods] and normal ones, or what an authority is. However, if the story that goddess told is anything to go by then her origin is neither [Beast] nor [Nature].

"Beg your pardon?"

"[Earth]. That goddess is the [Mother Earth goddess of Creation]. Her origin is the land currently known as China." If mentioning Diyu is anything to go by then the goddess most likely has ties to that country.

The man looks at Shizuka, wondering where she got that information from. Of course there's only one logical explanation for it: "I see. I'm glad that there's another hime-miko nearby, the one stationed here didn't get a revelation from her spirit vision."

Hime-miko? Spirit vision? It still doesn't make sense to Shizuka, but if she keeps playing along she will certainly come to understand it eventually.

After moving through a myriad of doors Shizuka arrives in one of the hospital's staff rooms, where five other people already sat down.

"Hey, who's the little lady, Torio?" One of the five, a tall man with reddish hair and a slender body asks. "Don't tell me that you've become a lolicon?"

"Nothing of the sort, Kaiji." Torio answers with a sigh, "This girl here is a Hime-Miko from another station, merely here because she was on vacation. However, unlike Tomoe she successfully managed to get a divination of the goddess that descended here."

"Hey, I can't help it." A girl with short brown hair and a rather muscular physique mutters these words under her breath. This is probably Tomoe then. "I have an accuracy of 25 percent, which is quite decent for your average diviner. Of course I'm not gaining any knowledge three-quarters of the time."

"Our theories about this goddess are a bit wrong." Torio says with a puffed up chest, as if he is the one who unearthed this information, "We're not facing a goddess of beasts, this is one of the [Mother goddesses of Earth]."

"I see." This man, dressed in an extravagant suit with brown slicked-back hair turns to Shizuka: "As for you, thank the gods that you managed to obtain some knowledge. Before you tell us about the divination you received I think that it is more appropriate to introduce ourselves first. My name is Sugiyama Sotaro. I'm one of the six people the HCC stationed in this area. I'm the leader of the group, taking care of reporting everything that happens here to headquarters. The one you walked with to here is Torio, who's in charge of keeping magic hidden from society."

"I'm Nakai Tomoe, but you can call me Tomoe-chan, missy." Ah, someone is going for the cool big sister approach. A good try, Shizuka comments, but the girl Tomoe is trying it on doesn't belong to the audience that works on. "I'm the hime-miko here, but other than the usual stuff I don't really have any special abilities."

"Hasegawa." Another woman, this one with a petite and youthful build and facial features making her seem even younger. "Just an ordinary spellcaster. Nice to meet you." Short and precise, she seems not to spend more words than necessary.

"Kaiji Andrewson, born in Scotland but raised here in Japan! Born from a bloodline of priests and priestesses I'm one of Japan's few witches!" He speaks out in pride, his slender body puffing up slightly. Shizuka makes a note here that witch seems to be an unisex title. One would think that the word witch belongs to a female-only society.

"And that leaves me, Hideki Tatsuya. I'm the one in charge of the odd jobs around here, mainly using heretic magecraft like [Leap] and [Reinforcement] to perform stuff like scouting or relaying information in case a cellphone won't do. Otherwise I mainly do the paperwork, since that job gets shoved onto me each time I lose at rock-paper-scissors." Not a single one of the other five is going to tell that Hideki's losing streak originated from his honesty not to use magic against cheaters who do use it. Especially because they now don't need to perform paperwork. "So, what's your name? I can't keep calling you miss or girl all the time."

"My name is Kusanagi Shizuka. Nice to meet you, everyone." Upon Shizuka speaking these words all people except for Torio, who though thickheadedness didn't make the connection, go pale.

"Uhm… Shizuka-chan," Tomoe asks nervously, "you aren't connected to, well, that Kusanagi, right?"

That Kusanagi? The only thing that comes into mind is the sword of Susanoo and Yamato Takeru _{1}_. Hang on, that sword is deified at several shrines in Japan and it is said that the Kusanagi clan takes care of that sword. It wouldn't be surprising if there is some close relationship between the real Kusanagi clan and that sword, and if that grass-cutter really is a god then the true Kusanagi clan might be difficult to deal with.

"No, just because the name's the same doesn't mean I am automatically related." A wave of relief goes through the room, expect for Torio, who is being scolded at for not wondering about the meaning of Shizuka's name.

"I see." Sugiyama replies casually, not having any fear anymore for this girl. "In that case, could you please tell us what you learned about that goddess?"

"Of course, Sugiyama-san." Sitting down on an empty chair Shizuka starts her short lecture: _"This divinity is a goddess of earth, but also a goddess of creation. The humans that worship her are the same as the ones she created from the dust of the earth, something she did in what we now know as China. She is paired with another male god, her brother, who took her as his wife. The two ruled those people as their sovereigns until their tribe was conquered by a foreign god, an emperor-king. The wife became a daughter and lost her connection to earth, becoming a celestial child instead. However, I didn't get her name."_

"I see, I see, a mother earth goddess, huh?" The male witch speaks up happily. "now isn't this a lucky streak for us? Because our group lacks a master of Feng Shui or Geomancy _{2}_ we couldn't really trace down the location of this goddess. However, this all changes if the goddess we are looking for is a goddess of earth. As we witches are the descendants of their priestesses it is very possible for us to ask their location. Give me two hours, and I'll be ready to perform the ritual."

"I'll help prepare." Hasegawa answers emotionlessly. Seeing that enough people are busy with the magic ritual the other four offer to take Shizuka for some new clothes and dinner. It's almost eight in the evening and Shizuka hasn't eaten for days now, nor can she go out in cold weather wearing only a johnny gown.

After Shizuka gets dressed in some hand-me-downs from Tomoe, a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt and jacket, the group takes a fifteen minute walk to a house surprisingly undamaged by the rampage. According to Torio this is his house, and since it is barely damaged by the rampage it is the perfect place to settle down for a quick bite.

The inside of the house is kind of ordinary, though there are quite a lot of books in his shelves. A few are magic related, through these all seem to either go over the basics or are based on the art of Onmyodo _{3}_. He also seems to be a big fan of folkloric stories, especially of the King Arthur sagas: 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', 'Tristan and Iseult' and 'Sir Robin and the Vicious Chicken of Bristol', just to name a few.

Torio and Nakai prepare dinner in the kitchen, leaving the trio of Sagato, Hideki and Shizuka in the living room.

Just like soldiers stationed in a camp waiting for their next attack the trio kill time by talking about everything but what is important, leading to a long but ordinary conversation about everyday topics. Some topics are more an introduction about everyone, or those about recent events that happened. Multiple subjects come on top, from Tatsuya giving tips about how he kept his younger brother in line when he was young (as advice for Shizuka, who used all of those tips before she was seven) to Sagato telling that his wife is pregnant and also Shizuka who was talking about life in Tokyo. She omitted most names to make sure her gramps and brother don't get known by this committee. Kind of a shame, otherwise these mages might've figured out who she's closely related to.

Eventually dinner is served, a simple sakedon _{4}_ dish that was quickly made. It's quality is barely average, but good enough that Shizuka willingly takes seconds. The other four are quite surprised at Shizuka's appetite as even the other healthy eater at the table is unable to keep up.

So the quality of Shizuka's digestive system becomes a topic on table, and like all other topics it simply ends as an ordinary conversation. Shizuka is still slightly wary of her 'mates', because she doesn't truly belong to them. No, she is an ordinary human caught in the storm of the supernatural, and is doing her best not to get noticed. So while they talk about many things Shizuka doesn't reveal herself as a muggle in the ways of magecraft.

Eventually the five realize that almost ninety minutes have passed. The clock now standing at a quarter before ten the group realizes they can return to the witch and his assistant who should've finished preparations by now.

The group's destination this time is not the hospital anymore, instead moving towards what looks like a westerner's house hidden away on top of one of the smaller hills in the area. It resembles a roman villa, but upon closer inspection there are several intricate design choices that didn't exist until around two centuries ago. Opening the door to the place is Hasegawa, the one who volunteered to stay behind to help.

After letting everyone in Hasegawa and her companions move to the backyard, with Shizuka following close by. There's an aura of magic swirling in this place, which seems to be centered around the place they are walking towards. Upon entering the backyard her theory proves correct as two whirlpools of energy flow like yin and yang between the table in the middle and Kaiji, who is finishing his meditation at the veranda.

"Say, what's he doing right now?" Shizuka whispers to Tomoe. The hime-miko offered to fulfill the big sister role, so now she has to do her job. "Witchcraft isn't really my area of knowledge."

"As far as I know this is some sort of ritual to determine the location and state of the goddess. Sorry, I'm not really a master in this either." Kaiji stands up, his eyes in trance, and stands before the table. "Ah, I think that he is going to start chanting."

"Oh great goddess of the earth," Raising his hands to the air the witch starts his aria devoted to the goddess. Several particles in the air start to light up, gathering above the table in a clump of light. "may your blessings forever protect us as we pledge our bonds to you. Oh great mother, for we are lost and cannot see, illuminate your presence upon us!" The clump of light takes the form of a snake. Upon closer inspection Shizuka can see that the table is not just an ordinary table but a map covering the entirety of the northern island of Hokkaido. The snake slithers to the southwest before coming to a standstill above Niseko, the place where they are in right now.

"Hoh, so the goddess didn't leave this city at all." Sagato casually remarks. That's what makes Shizuka understand the full ability of this spell. The light forms an indicator that marks the location of the goddess, and is connected to the map for precise localization of the deity. It's a nifty spell, but compared to the authorities of the goddess this is an entire dimension away from her level.

Having expected this kind of possibility Hasegawa takes out a large stone tablet, this one depicting the city and its surroundings. They have a vague image of the goddess' location, now all they need to do is to increase the precision.

"For we will seek out pilgrimage, we will clean our inner temples for you, o holiness." As Hasegawa slides the second map on the table the tiny serpent makes a cute hop onto the new plate. Circling round for a few moments he finds the right spot, moving to his destination. "Thus we beseech you, let our search not be in vain!"

The snake stops right above a lone house on a hidden hill, with coordinates that are surprisingly similar to this house?

"Andrewson, are you certain you did it correctly?!" Sagato shouts out. "There's no way that the goddess can be hidden on this hill!"

"There are no mistakes made! Perhaps there is a cave or so hidden under this place, and the goddess has gone in refuge there! Why can't she be there?!" The adults are shouting at one another, panicked by this news. The only one to remain calm is the stoic Hasegawa, who performs her own magic:

"As rivers merge into the sea, so do the lesser man gather around the gods. Hanzaki Daimyojin _{5}_ , please guide us to the great deities!"

A blue path forms on the ground, and for the first time that Shizuka has been hanging out with this group she loses her cool. To be precise, everyone does when they see that the path to the goddess is only about five meters long, and ends directly at Shizuka.

"Y-You, Shizuka-san, why does the aura of the goddess point to you? What are you hiding?" Hideki doesn't trust it anymore, and starts to accuse Shizuka for having done something weird.

"Did… did that goddess suffer some setback, and her divine spirit took shelter in your body?" the witch asks, almost being in denial of that feared possibility. The earth does not need another devil king.

"Shizuka-chan, please answer me honestly:" This time it is Tomoe who is trying to appeal to her big sister role. "What did you do the previous days?"

"Yes," Torio adds on "What were you doing out there in that snowfield so far away from the city? Don't tell me that you did that foolish thing and… and… you f-f-f…"

"fought her?" Shizuka speaks the words none of the others can say. "No, it's better to say that she wanted to fight me. I only respo-"

"Bullshit!" Kaiji shouts out in English, furious at the notion that he interrupted. "If a god has determined that you shall die then you will die! Normal humans cannot stand up to them, so if that was true you should be dead!"

Honestly, he has a point. As far as Shizuka can remember she should indeed be dead right now. Punctured lung, multiple bleeding wounds, a missing arm and more combined is not something one can survive, let alone without damage.

"Thus are you implying that you managed to deal a mortal blow on that goddess and usurped her authority, becoming the newest godslayer in the process?"

"Was that a mortal blow then?" Shizuka wonders aloud. She remembers slamming that stone into the goddess' side, but that shouldn't be a mortal blow. Or was there something else she did with it, her memories are a bit vague after that hit.

"Insolence!" The witch screams out, as his partners have all fled to the corners of the veranda, watching the two with fear and curiosity. "For the audacious remark of claiming to be an equal to the gods, I will take your life, Kusanagi Shizuka!"

It's quite curious: Even though Shizuka recognizes the killing intent of this man and the skin on her nape starts to shudder, there is not a single thought in her mind that makes her feel like she is going to die.

"Knowest that thou art not an immortal god, rememberest thy mortality as a daughter of man."

Spellwords for so-called "darkness." A powerful magic that makes the house shake like there had been an earthquake. As a dark mist envelops Shizuka the only reaction it has on her is that the temperature seems to drop around a single degree, making it slightly colder. The only thoughts she has about the spell is that it is has quite the fitting wording for the goal Andrewson has in mind.

"Is that it? I doubt that it is working." Like a taunt, Shizuka dares this man to try better.

"The how about I make it a bit hotter with my trump card, faker!" Kaiji passionately screams in return. "Though you may use some weird protective barrier right now, my next spell that can harm even gods will destroy you unless the divine authorities are used against it!"

Weird protective barrier? Shizuka has no idea what he is talking about. Instead of wondering she continues to look at Kaiji, who is chanting his spellwords for a last spell:

"The gift stolen from the gods, the fire of Prometheus/ Agni, here I sacrifice myself to you/ Xiuhtecuhtli, for the dark night is lighted by the god of fire." As befitting the substance of the spellwords a large amount of fire gathers around the witch, his body sweating from the heat.

"For it is dark and I cannot see the way, and what stands before me will not let me pass. Therefore, let divine flames judge the opposing evil." The fire condenses into a much smaller space, but as it shrinks the power only increases.

When it is the size of a soccer ball Shizuka feels an actual threat from the spell. 'If I get hit by that fire it will be troublesome.' That though enters Shizuka's head. So what can she use to counter it? Is there anything she can do to stop it?

" _You have slain the greatest ruler of the east, and now join the ranks of the children of Epithemeus! Young god-slayer, become a king of unparalleled strength, powerful enough to carry both heaven and earth!"_

Shizuka can hear these words in the back of her head, spoken by that arrogant goddess. Somewhere inside of her there is a power waiting to be awakened.

Fire; Water; Earth; Wood; Metal; a global feel of her power tells Shizuka that she can summon upon these powers.

"Well then mister Andrewson, let us compare our firepower." The opponent's fire shrinks down to the form of a dart, infused with enough power to pierce divine defenses and strike the enemy. In return Shizuka unleashes part of the power deep inside her.

"O Fire, descend from the heavens!" A chant to summon one of the five [Philosopher's Stones], this time summoning the stone containing divine fire. Upon this command a stone of three feet tall floats in the air next to Shizuka. She doesn't really know what power this thing holds, but she can feel that that little dart doesn't even come close to it.

Andrewson finishes the last words of his incantation causing the dart to shoot through the air like a bullet, aiming for Shizuka's heart.

'Show that man what you got without killing him.' This would be the command given to the stone by Shizuka if it is a sentient being. Now she simply gives a final chant to unleash the power within: "This fire is radiant and powerful, incinerating all in its way!"

As the final word is spoken a massive(!) pillar of fire spews out from the stone, completely obliterating the tiny little flame that approached it. Barely missing the witch the fire burns through the house, either turning the stone the flames hit to pumicite or the surrounding stone to lava.

Outside of the house the snow melts under the heat of the fire, and the mountain in the back now has its top blown off, leaving a round hole like you only see in comic books.

Shizuka puts her hand to her head as she worries over the collateral damage she caused. One of Niseko's mountains has been ruined beyond recognition, and whatever ski lift used to bring people up that mountain is now completely obliterated. Damn, she didn't expect the difference in power to be this great!

The humans around Shizuka are less worried about the damage caused. Instead they do what normal humans would do in this situation: Kaiji and Hideki fainted from shock; Torio pretty much fled the scene; Hasegawa and Tomoe stand around like a deer caught in the headlights; Only team leader Sagato can accept the truth that there has been born a new king.

"P-Please accept my humble apologies for not recognizing your magnificent feat, oh godslayer." Yes, Sagato knows the trouble he is in. Finding out that the person you met just became a rakshasa monarch is not that big of a deal. Offer congratulations for their feat and give your assistance when it is needed; If you do that the Campione will not harm you and one might even gain his protection! Attacking a newborn king on the other hand is the pinnacle of stupidity. A king has slain a god; such a person must hold massive viciousness in battle and the will to kill. Even lord Kusanagi Godou, who is a rather nice person outside of battle, will transform into a pragmatic warrior without mercy when pushed on the battlefield. This woman is probably the same.

Even the best scenario will probably lead to Andrewson's death or severe suffering. Worst comes to worst and she slaughters the entire squad.

"Had I put more attention to your nature I would've certainly found out about your power and prevented this senseless act of my subordinate. Please, the only ones who need to be punished are your challenger and me, his superior." Asking, no, begging for the lives of the other four, Sagato falls to his knees.

"You certainly didn't search at all." Shizuka snidely remarks. Having clearly obtained a superior position to the rest she has no need to keep up the masquerade. "You didn't even realize I'm a complete novice to the magic world."

"You what?" Looking with disbelief at Shizuka Sagato cannot believe his ears. "Did… did we get deceived?"

"Yes, by a kid unknown to the world of magic. You need to get your act together if you want to keep magic hidden from the outside world."

"I… I will certainly do so. Anything else I can do, milady?"

Shizuka makes her demands: Introductive texts to the world of magic in general, alongside books about the schools of magic, to make herself acquainted with the hidden world she discovered. Other than that all that is needed is a good place to sleep. It is late and Shizuka is not interested in pursuing this matter any further.

-x-

Ten minutes after defeating her first mortal (foolish) challenger Shizuka stands outside in the garden with the phone of the loser as her temporary spoils of war. Having lost contact with her family for a while Shizuka decides to keep them no longer in suspension and announce her safety. Ringing the number of her home she hears the phone ring three times before being picked up:

"Hello, this is Kusanagi Godou, who is calling so late at night?"

"Onii-chan, it's me, Shizuka."

"Ah, Shizuka, how's your holiday trip going?"

"Onii-chan…" A gulp can be heard from the other side of the phone as Shizuka starts to speak with a menacing tone. You can almost hear Godou thinking: _What did I do wrong?_ "Did you watch even the slightest bit of news? If you did you would know that there was an earthquake around here with Niseko as its epicenter. Are you really telling me that you spend these days in some secluded place with your lovers?"

"S-Shizuka, they are my friends, not my lovers!" Godou protests loudly, objecting for the umpteenth time against that superstition. Why are they all out to make him look like some perverted and lust-obsessed devil king? "I was just asked to help with a side job from some people I know…"

With side job Godou means 'Slay the remains of [True Lord Erlang] who manifested through the remains of the [Keeper of the Horses] spell.' While not exactly the most magnificent of battles, and one easily forgotten, that guy's ability to mislead the [Sword] made the battle unnecessary difficult and increased the collateral damage Godou had to cause by one waterfall. Another battle where Godou cannot bring himself from damaging the surroundings.

"Hoh? Side job? Really, who asked you to perform a task that doesn't even let you watch the news?"

"Uhm… you don't know her…" There's no need to say that this request came from a rather androgynous woman named Sayanomiya Kaoru. "But is that rea-"

"Onii-chan, did you just say her? Knowing you I would say that you somehow gained a new girlfriend!"

"She's just a normal friend!" For once Godou does speak the truth. When it comes to girls he knows Kaoru is one of the few that he has absolutely zero love with. "Ah, would it help if I tell you that she is into women? At least, I think so."

Kaoru is well known in her school to be the target of many admirers, and she seems to be as popular as the prettiest of boys he knows. What kind of man can possibly beat that girl at charming women?

No, Kusanagi Godou did not include himself in that question, nor is he aware that he could beat her with ease.

"I think so?" Shizuka asks about Godou's uncertainty.

"Yes, I think so, but I'm not certain." That girl seems to hold playfulness to both sexes, not just girls. The possibility that Kaoru is bi or so is also possible. "But she did offer me to go pick up girls with her, so it is natural to assume that she is a lesbian."

"…"

It stays silent on the side of Shizuka for a while. Godou questions why there is no response from the other side, before realizing the horrid mistake he made:

"Hoho, Onii-chan, that's an interesting side-job you took." Oh yes, Shizuka misunderstood. Unlike any conversation he had with any of the other girls he know, and those are many, it was not of the positive kind. Even if Godou would be conversing with his sworn older sister Luo Hao, given name Cuilian, he would not make such mistakes, and that is the woman that quite often punishes her well-trained disciple on his formality, property and etiquette.

Perhaps it is because the natural women killer instinct he has (but is unaware of) works on everyone but his sister that he is so fearful of her. Erica or any other of his girls can all be quite scary. Fighting a Campione or Godslayer is a hundred times worse than that. Talking to his sworn older sister is a hundred times worse than such a supernatural fight. And even compared to his Nee-san Shizuka is still scarier. The only thing worse than Shizuka would probably be a Campione version of Shizuka. Good thing that that will never happen, right?

"N-No, Shizuka, you're misunderstanding things! That offer happened a long time ago, and naturally I declined like any normal person would! All I did this time was cleaning up some old stuff that lost its function and incinerating it."

"Really Onii-chan? For now I'll believe you, but that still doesn't explain why you couldn't watch the news."

"Well…" Okay, there's no real excuse for not knowing that other than to explain the truth. "I guess I simply didn't spend much time watching the news. It's just a coincidence, really."

"Hah…" A sigh of annoyance, Shizuka is pretty much done with this subject. "Onii-chan, I'll believe you for now, even if you still need to solve your issues with the girls." Godou's shout of 'Don't be ridiculous, there are no problems I could have with my girls!' is quickly ignored by Shizuka, who curtly tells him that no, he does have them. Godou drops the subject, asking the more important question:

"Oh, Shizuka, considering your speech I doubt that you are wounded, but I'll ask just in case: did you get hurt by that earthquake?"

"No, not really. My problem is that due to the earthquake the trip is cancelled. The wounded will have to stay in the hospital for a while, but since I was discharged I can take a flight back home next Saturday. It would be useful if a certain brother of mine would pick me up from the airport."

"Sure, sure." Godou knows that Shizuka could probably talk her way into someone's car, but since both he and his grandfather have nothing better to do and there are probably no gods waiting to descend upon earth there's some space free in Godou's agenda to pick up Shizuka. "At what time will you arrive?"

"I…" Okay, Shizuka did not plan that far ahead. Sure, she could probably get a plane ticket if she ordered the committee to get her one, but the time is not yet determined. "I'll tell you tomorrow. It's late, and I want to get some sleep."

"Ah, okay. Sleep well then, Shizuka."

"Sleep well, Onii-chan." And with that Shizuka hangs up. The idea of sleep does sound very attractive right now, mainly because she doesn't feel rested from her period of unconsciousness.

Letting out a yawn Shizuka returns to the magic team recovering from their surprise, adding a third order to her demands: fix a plane ticket back home to Tokyo next Saturday.

The order is accepted just as the magic team managed to secure a good lodging. After being walked to her temporary abode she closes herself out from the world, quickly seeking her bed for some well-deserved rest.

-x-

 _Fifth of November, Late morning_

When Shizuka woke up she started her morning rather ordinarily: waking up, eating breakfast prepared by Hasegawa and changing into a pair of fresh clothing, this time blue jogging pants and a purple turtleneck.

During dinner she gets informed that there is a seat reserved for flight 706, going from Niseko to Haneda airport _{6}_ at a quarter past eight. Quickly finishing her meal she then makes a short call to her brother and grandfather about the upcoming flight and that they will have to pick her up at ten o'clock.

After finishing that call she could gaze upon the results of her second request: Whatever books on magic that weren't destroyed by the goddess' rampage were brought to Shizuka's temporary residence. Now a nice total of around forty books are stapled around a comfy chair, perfect for Shizuka to read books in.

Some of them offer insight in the history of magic, others are basic starting books on the subject of several schools of magic and five of them contain the more highly advanced spellwords that specialize in a certain direction, like the book about the absorption of knowledge and energy from the heart of a human sacrifice to the Aztec god Mictlantecuthli _{7}_.

The book Shizuka starts with is literally titled "Introduction to the world of gods and magic." Can't really start off better than that:

As far as recorded knowledge goes gods existed since the deification of that which humanity did not understand, which equals to about as long as humanity existed. The myths and legends would take form in a world parallel to our own, the [Realm of Immortality]. While it is impossible to go to that realm as a human the beings who live there can descend upon earth as [Heretic Gods]. These beings are gods who rebel against their own myth, disagreeing with how humanity sees them. An example of this would be that goddess Shizuka slew, who wanted humanity to not associate her anymore with her "dad".

[Heretic Gods] wield authorities, which are manifestations of the domain that they rule over. A solar god wields searing flames, a weather god controls thunder, an earth god rules over life and death, a god of nature commands divine beasts, et cetera. These powers are incomparably stronger than human might so humans instinctively run from them or worship them. Only a fool would try to challenge them and only an even greater fool would actually manage to kill the god.

It is not uncommon for humans to have a somewhat symbiotic relationship with the gods they worship, often receiving blessings of various natures. The most notable gift is the ability to break the laws of reality and perform the supernatural. All these abilities are named magic, but they are separated in different kind of schools, each with their own workings:

The first is hereditary magic. This can only be passed on through blood, and one's potential for it is determined by birth. Even a godslayer cannot learn this type of magic unless he owns a specific authority to let him learn these skills. Examples of this are witchcraft and the gifts of hime-miko.

Second come the blessings of the divine, the heretic magic. This can be considered to be small parts of the powers of the gods, granted to humans in return for some favor they did, like worshiping. While originally meant to stay in the cult that worshiped the deity many spells were exchanged by humans over the years. This makes them the most accessible for people new to this world. One of the most notable aspects is that this magic always requires a catalyst for summoning. The catalyst is almost always spell words, but can sometimes be accompanied or replaced by magic artifacts or potions.

Third are the skills that manipulate one's own energy. This uses the energy inside one's body, most commonly known as Qi or life force, to perform techniques impossible within the realm of logic. The power is equivalent to the energy within, so a Campione with thousands of times the energy of a normal mage and decennia of training in this style can make this a sort of pseudo-authority. Examples from a hundred years ago are Shining Emir Hakim ruling the Middle-East and His Eminence Luo Hao of China. Using Pahlevani _{8}_ and Daoist arts respectively they managed to stand at the top of the realm of martial arts.

However, compared to the power of Campione mages only come off as pale imitations, and both Gods and Campione hold massive resistance against these attacks.

In other words, any type of offensive magic written in these books are absolutely useless for Shizuka. She can feel it, her authority's ability. Take the stone of [Fire], for example: With the control that she has over that part of her authority anything ranging between 'a small fire to light a cigarette' to 'complete destruction of a city block' should be possible, as long as it is fire-related. There's no need to use an imitation when you own the original.

Another book that interests her is Demon King, by the Italian Alberto Ricardo. It's one of the first books that gives a good description of the ones that slew a god, and the first who introduced the term Campione:

 _However, I want to emphasize it, once again:_

 _Campione – Godslayer – is the supreme ruler._

 _Since he can kill a divine being, he can therefore call on the highly divine powers held by the gods._

 _Campione – Godslayer – is a lord._

 _Since the power to kill a deity is in their hands, they therefore have the power t-_

Aargh! Why is this book so overly and unnecessarily longwinded, especially when the message to tell is so simple? Shizuka is certain that she can summarize it in under a quarter of thousand words:

Campione, people who managed to slay gods. They obtain the power of the gods they slew, and are way more powerful than normal humans. Other than the authorities stolen from the god a Campione gains several other powers: These include enhanced longevity, massive resistance to human magic, magic power hundreds of times that of even the greatest mages, night vision, increased spiritual senses, superhuman stamina, bones stronger than metal, incredibly fast recovery speed, and they very quickly learn new languages.

Through the difference between each king is great all can be summarized as tyrants, ruling through power and fear. However, they usually won't needlessly harm humans, unless they stand in the way of their mania.

This mania takes all sort of forms: Obtaining power or knowledge, lust for battle, having fun, eating, sexual lust, and many more. It is what drives them in life and often hints at the type of authorities he has stolen from the gods. Other traits shared between Campione are the ambition and leadership of a ruler, the arrogance, cunning and bloodlust of a warrior, and the idiocy they inherited from Epithemeus.

The only people who stand as their equal are his fellow Campione and the gods themselves. The only fools greater than Campione are the suicidal mages who think they can beat one of the devil kings.

As they stop the Heretic gods from causing destruction they are a necessary evil who fight for humanity, and normal humans cannot help but to serve them.

There, even within the maximum word count.

There are many points in this book that Shizuka disagrees with: How is she a tyrant who rules through power and fear? She's a normal person, and while she did run a few businesses to help others make money she isn't really much of a ruler. And what's this about a mania? She has no such absurd thing, if anything she's trying to stop others from unleashing… their…

"Ah, that's entirely possible." Stopping her brother and Ichirou from all their womanizing; Fool-heartedly preventing a goddess from killing people; What if her mania is actually suppressing other people's mania, and making sure they act normally? That would actually makes a lot of sense, being someone who abnormally adheres to normalness would probably fit right in the row of mania.

Still, all this Campione stuff is going to take some time to adjust to. Is she now destined to become Japan's protector and drive evil gods out of her country?

Eh, there are worse jobs in the world. Large amount of free days, almost always outdoors and great level of respect from the magic world, it sure beats anything you can learn from an university.

There is also a book on the history of the History Compilation Committee, but all that needs to be said is that they do a pretty good job of keeping common man away from the world of magic, although they seem to lack good differentiation between magi and non-magi. The rest is expository banter without use.

Skipping history Shizuka now enters the world of practical magic, picking up the first book on the tray: "Powers and abilities of the hime-miko". With great interest she starts to read…

…only to put the book away after five minutes. Not because the book is uninteresting, no, nor because the magic lacks use for her. Spirit Vision to make predictions of the future and gain knowledge of enemy gods, Spirit Sensing to act as a sixth sense and a few other skills seem quite useful. The problem is that one must be born a hime-miko to use these skills. Shizuka is not born a hime-miko. Thus the book can be put away and gather dust once more.

Next is a book about the doctrine of the five elements, called "Wu Xing: the five movements". It is not impossible to learn like the first book, but it will not be useful as subject material. This school can literally be called "The copycats of Shizuka's first authority". Perhaps there are a few interesting tricks in the book, but nothing truly useful.

Then a book about Onmyodo. This is the first book to offer a few useful spells. Sure, less than a percent of the spells are useful, most of the spells barely functional from the perspective of one who wields the divine sacrosanct. All spells based on one of the five elements hold no value to her. The one spell that does seem interesting is the art of Kotodama, literally meaning the power of words. Being used to enforce one's word upon another, it is the actual source of hypnosis that Torio used yesterday on her classmate. In other words, a reset button in case Shizuka screws up and accidentally involves bystanders in the world of magi.

Yes, this sounds like perfect study material. Reading the information about the subject thoroughly Shizuka tries to memorize the spell as well as possible.

One hour later and Shizuka believes that she has it all memorized: The small hand motions, the right concentration, the right way to infuse the words with magic, and all the other stuff that comes with the spell. It's surprisingly complicated, especially when compared to the "throw big flame on enemy" authority she used yesterday. Is this the difference between the power of the gods and those that try to catch the crumbs that fall from the divine table?

Either way, it's time to give the spell a try. As for the test subject, there is a volunteer. To be more precise, Sagato decided that the best way of apology is to make the foolish challenger work as Shizuka's henchmen, pawn, minion, however you want to call it. She has no real use for it, so thus far her only orders have been "Stand outside" and "Come here when I call you". The latter is now called on as the witch meekly enters the room.

His body trembles, and he unsuccessfully hides his fear. "W-What can I do for you, milady?" Kaiji knows what is coming for him: He insulted a Campione, denied her feats and tried to kill her. A death penalty might even await… if he tried to do this on an important human. A godslayer will usually laugh off the pathetic attempt of murder, so it won't be death that awaits him.

No, it will be worse.

Shizuka on the other hand simply ignored the state her lackey is in to concentrate a final time on the magic. Now what to order? It has to be something simple and harmless, but also easily testable. An idea forms in Shizuka's head, one perfect for this plan. She speaks out the words empowersed by magic:

"Kaiji-san, forget your name." An order easily measurable yet also harmless enough that it can be solved with ease. It also tests what exactly will be forgotten: His given name, his surname or will it be his entire name? It is a good way to find out.

A torrent of magic streams to the lanky witch, and before he can defend himself he is hit by the spell. Kaiji only let out a single restrained shout before falling on his behind, his gaze clouded and his body immobile.

When he stays dazed for quite a few seconds Shizuka starts to worry. This was not supposed to happen, he should be out of it for no more than a second before acting normal again, except without memory of his own name.

Shizuka nudges the entranced mage a few times but obtains no response. Just when Shizuka wants to quit and ask for help her target snaps awake.

"Ah good, you're finally awa-"

"Who… who are you, young miss?" This interruption surprises Shizuka. Why does he not remember her name? The order was simply to forget his own name, not that of Shizuka. Did she make a mistake?

"And… who am I? Where am I?" No, Shizuka screwed up. This is not forgetting a single detail. "I can't remember anything!" This is general amnesia.

While Shizuka cannot understand what she did wrong there is actually a very simply explanation for it:

A mage's worth is determined by several factors: The magic energy in his body, the energy he can pull out all at once, his physical condition, his intelligence and learning capacity, his control over his magic and his ability to adapt in a crisis. Shizuka can easily adapt to problematic situations and has above average intelligence; Thanks to becoming a Campione Shizuka's body is above prime condition and she can store and produce much more magic energy then a normal mage. However, her control is sub-par at best and terrible at worst. To someone whose entire magic use thus far has been to summon more energy than a mage has in his entire body this is like filling a cup with a fire hose.

There might've been a little bit too much power used this time. As the amnesiac seems to ponder over his own existence Shizuka is afraid she will have some bad news to tell to branch chief Sagato. This is going to be a problem…

-x-

 _Sixth of November, early morning._

It turns out that yesterday's problem did not turn out to be a big deal. Unlike the damage her authority caused this is easily recoverable by using either the magic art of negation or the skill disaster purification, which the HCC has a few masters of. Sagato claimed that he would take care of this small incident Shizuka caused, which left Shizuka with a rather carefree evening.

The next day Shizuka said goodbye to the team of magi who she spend the last two days with, knowing that she will probably not see them again. The only ones glad about this are the magi themselves, who celebrate her leave while Shizuka herself is in the airplane on her way back to Tokyo, together with one of the mages who has to escort her. It's unfit to let a kid of Shizuka's age fly alone without a guardian.

The one joining her on this journey is Hideki Tatsuya, who through the loss of another rock-paper-scissors is forced with the burden of travelling alongside Shizuka and reporting the news to headquarters personally. Playing fair still doesn't seem to make him prosper.

The plane ride is rather calm. The duo have two first-class seats available, reserved through some… special connections. Tatsuya had prepared many doom scenarios in his head, based on the actions that other Campione would take in this situation:

Her Eminence would call the airport an example of the decline of modern man, destroy everything and gouge out the eyes of all survivors for gazing upon her;

Sir Salvatore would through his idiocy somehow manage to cause a massive delay, and in the worst case his authority absorbed from Vulcan would shut down all planes including those still in the air.

Kusanagi Godou would complain about going first class and rather fly with economy instead.

And then there's Madame Aisha…. Ugh, it would be worse than the three above combined.

Luckily for him Shizuka seems more interested in reading one of the books she took with her from Niseko rather than causing a commotion.

Tatsuya would almost slump in his seat when he saw this, thanking his lucky stars that this Campione is so subdued outside of battle. However, just as he plans to do that an important question nags in the back of his head:

What will this Campione do after returning to Tokyo?

Even if she looks like a normal kid reading an interesting book one should not forget that this girl did slay a god, casually destroyed a mountaintop and punished her attacker by giving him complete amnesia. Then she took advantage of all that and ordered people on her whim. One does not simply mess with her and come out unscathed. Worst of all she enters the territory of another king, and those kinds of events almost always lead to city-destroying duels.

Therefore information is needed, and the only source is the newest Campione herself. Eliminating his own hesitation he starts to ask questions to Shizuka: "Milady, what are your plans for the future?" Shizuka looks up from her book to her attendee, wondering what he is talking about. "I will tell the head families of the Committee about your grandiose feat, along with anything you want to pass on. It would be useful for us to know what you want to do after returning home, and no matter your future goal we will try to assist you in fulfilling it."

The future, huh? Shizuka didn't really think about it that much. She doesn't really have anything special that she wants to do. Sure, she may have killed a god but that does not mean she wants to end her normal lifestyle just like that.

"Go ahead and tell the History Compilation Committee about my existence, but keep it quiet to the rest of the world. I don't mind keeping this country safe from rampaging gods, but I am not interested in inviting other godslayers to Japan and attracting more trouble."

"Y-Yes, I will do so." Well, that could be worse. There is only one other important question to ask. "And what will you do in case you do meet any of your peers?"

"If possible I will try to solve it peacefully and obtain a truce with him. In case that is not possible or their demands are too ridiculous I think that I need to teach them some common sense and beat them in battle."

Okay, good. That solves the situation with Kusanagi Godou. Neither of the two youngest kings will attack the other without reason. Hideki almost sighs from relief, but realizes that he must first keep up appearances.

"Then I will rely this information too." Shizuka simply nods before asking if there is something else he wants to know. Tatsuya has nothing left to ask, so Shizuka returns to her book while the messenger starts formulating his report.

The plane eventually lands on Haneda Airport, where the duo step out. Shizuka will go her own direction, back to the place she calls home. HQ will eventually contact her and form a lasting alliance. As far as Hideki understands her she will probably form an alliance of friendship with Kusanagi Godou, and Japan will be a country protected by a duo of kings.

Hideki Tatsuya does not care for all of that. He simply wants to get as far away as possible from the Campiones and gods in this world, having seen how dangerous and powerful they really are. So he will simply give his report to the HCC and return on the next flight back home if possible. Now all he will do here is reviewing his report one last time before relying the message to headquarters:

On the second of November a god descended upon the world, who is only identified as a Chinese goddess of earth and creation. She was defeated not by god or godslayer, but by a human completely unversed in magic. Her name is Kusanagi Shizuka, and although she shares the seventh's surname she is not his family.

She is in general nice to get along with, but has a bossy personality. She also will not punish anyone who does her no harm, but those who do challenge her may suffer a terrible fate. Kaiji Andrewson, witch belonging to the HCC, foolishly denied Kusanagi Shizuka's feat and attacked her. Shizuka responded by showing off part of her authority, a massive pillar of flame, to defeat the challenger, and in response gave him complete amnesia as punishment.

Because neither of the two Japanese godslayers has any incentive to fight one another it should be possible to at least manage a truce between the two kings, if not more. Perhaps even sworn siblinghood compared to Lord Kusanagi's relation with Her Eminence might be reached. Recommended is that the HCC will form an alliance with both of Japan's godslayers without making one of the two seem more important than the other.

Yes, that will do. Tatsuya nods to himself, considering his explanation to be satisfactory. As he walks out of the last customs checkpoint he sees something that dampers his happiness:

Why oh why is Kusanagi Godou standing there? Right there is Kusunagi Godou, for once not accompanied by one of his girls, looking for someone coming out of the checkpoint.

Could it be that someone leaked info to the seventh king about the birth of the newest godslayer so they could directly duel it out? No, that's probably not it, the seventh is not one who would visit other kings without being attacked first. Perhaps Salvatore Doni would do such a thing, but not Kusanagi Godou. Perhaps he wants to negotiate peaceful treaties with the newest king so there won't be any fights?

"Ah, Shizuka! You landed safely." Godou calls out, seemingly ignoring the fact that he is speaking to a fellow peer.

"Onii-chan, it's good to see you too." Onii-chan?! Now Hideki is even more confused than ever. How and when did they become sworn siblings?

No, that's impossible. There is no way that these two could have advanced that quickly in their relation. So what other possibility is there?

Many ideas form in the head of Hideki. What could it be? As he crosses out more and more options he notices the two godslayers walking away. The strangest of all is that the duo do not seem to recognize each other, as Shizuka tries to keep her feat hidden under the official excuse of the large avalanche while Kusanagi Godou does not talk about any of his own victories.

So what is left? The only thing that can be thought of is that the two are actual siblings, but that contradicts an earlier statement. If that is true then why did Shizuka not say that she is related to Kusanagi Godou? All people versed in the world of magic know of the identities of the seven kings, and she did claim…

…that she is not versed in magic.

Oh.

Oooh.

It dawns: Kusanagi Godou and Kusanagi Shizuka are sibling Campione completely unaware of one another's status, for some unfathomable reason that should not be possible.

Hideki Tatsuya simply stares at the abnormality that unfolded before his eyes.

Then he faints again.

-x-

{1} Yamato Takeru: Japanese legendary prince of the Yamato Dynasty, mostly known for wielding the Ame no Murakamo no Tsurugi.

{2} Feng Shui and Geomancy: Magic and divination based around the architectural placements of buildings and plants and overseeing the flow of mana/qi, one originating from the west and the other from the east. Both very useful for locating someone if you know the trace of mana/qi they give off.

{3} Onmyodo: Japan's own school of magic, it focuses on the sealing of supernatural beings and symbiotic relationships with the eight million gods, paying faith in return for magical miracles.

{4} Sakedon: rice dish in a bowl with thinly sliced salmon on top. Very, very spicy. Not to be confused with a certain Japanese beverage.

{5} Hanzaki Daimyojin: Japanese deity of water and the sea.

{6} Haneda airport: One of Tokyo's two major airports, this one is mainly responsible for domestic flights, like the Niseko-Tokyo flight. For international flights one usually departs from Narita International airport.

{7} Mictlantecuthli: Aztec god of the dead and king of Mictlan, the lowest section of the underworld.

{8} Pahlevani: A martial art from Iran, created by the legendary divine hero Rostam.

-x-

And once more Flagarach here!

This chapter has a severe lack of fighting in it, I'm afraid, and so does the chapter after this one. I find that it works best to write arcs over three chapters, with the first three being the "Rise to Kingship" arc. For Godou that arc would cover his fights with Verethragna, Melquart and Salvatore Doni. In Shizuka's case it is only the Goddess she slew, who has been correctly identified as Nu Wa. Well done, HiroshitheHawk. Wasn't so hard now, was it?

But yeah, this story uses three chapters per arc, so in the third chapter there will be no major fighting. However, chapter 4 to 6 features the very battle-heavy "Knights of the Round" arc, which will include more gods and godslayers than one can count on one hand.

So yes, fun times await. For now, I want to finish off this chapter with an explanation of Shizuka's authority:

[Philosopher Stones]  
The eighth king's authority allows the summoning of the five stones representing the oriental elements. These stones can change size ranging from fitting comfortably in one's hand to equaling Shizuka's height. The [Fire] stone is as yellow as the sun, the [Water] stone is as blue as the sea, the [Earth] stone is as red as clay, the [Wood] stone is as white as birch and the [Metal] stone is as black as carbon steel.

The stones can grant supernatural abilities according to their element. These equal the divine natures of respectively [Sun], [Weather], [Earth], [Nature], and [Steel]. Each of the stones hold abnormal power, but in terms of Campione and Gods it is still relatively limited. In pure terms of direct power output the [Fire] stone could rival that of Kusanagi Godou's [White Stallion], but this would cost the entire power supply of the stone. In other words, each stone can only deliver an authority-level blow once during a fight.

Creation of divine constructs or divine beasts should be possible, but for the creation to be capable of defeating gods the life time of the created being would greatly diminish. The current theory is that lifetime and power are inversely proportional. However, this fact is mainly important for beings equal to divine beasts. Would Shizuka use the full power of one or two stones for the purpose of creating something that at best equals a great knight in power then it might continue to function for an entire lifetime.

An emptied stone takes seven days to fully recharge, but can be taken out at any time with whatever power is left inside of it. The stones are as indestructible as the legendary holy grail, so they can also be used as makeshift shields. There are even rumors going around that the stones can somehow absorb attacks from their respective nature to refill their own reserves.

The main drawback of this authority is that summoning multiple stones at the same time literally invites destruction to the area where it is used. A single stone does nothing, and two is still negligible, but with all five stones summoned in the neighborhood? You're gonna have a bad time. According to the History Compilation Committee it is sadly enough only fitting that a family member of Kusanagi Godou has such an authority. One that will inevitably lead to the destruction of the surroundings no matter if she wants it or not.

Destruction of property. It really sits in the family.


	3. Calm before the storm

_Eighth of November, early morning._

It turns out the calamity caused by that goddess was a bit worse than originally imagined. Reading the newspaper down at the kitchen table Shizuka finds the total amount of deaths and wounded back in Niseko: Within three hours the goddess managed to cause a total of 927 deaths, with about twice as many wounded. Her classmates, or what is left of them, are in a similar perilous situation. Of the class of 42 students fifteen have died, seven are heavily wounded but in stable condition, twelve have light wounds and only eight came out unscathed, including Shizuka.

The school has sent multiple kinds of letters around: letters of sympathy to the bereaved, letters of support to the parents of the heavily wounded children and letters of help and advice to the un- or lightly wounded. Shizuka received one of the latter, which meanly deals with coping after major natural disasters.

It all goes on about how people usually feel after such a disaster and what one can do to resolve it. They advise the victim to take time for adjusting to the new situation, seek support from family and friends and to talk with them or some local support group about your experiences. Other advice is to follow a regular healthy life that keeps up your existing routines and not making any potentially life-altering decisions.

Shizuka does not especially follow any of these guidelines, though to be fair she is not quite that much of a victim. If anything she solved the problem to the best of her ability and saved the lives of who knows how many.

So none of the usual symptoms appear: Shizuka does not have intense unpredictable feelings, or at least not more than usual; Her behavior patterns are no different from before; She does not react abnormally to environmental factors; Her interpersonal relationships are only damaged because of damage on, well, the other side of the relation, and she doesn't suffer from any stress-related physical symptoms.

So after finishing breakfast she simply starts a new week at school, although… there is one thing this week different compared to usual: For the first time in quite a while Shizuka is able to walk to school with her brother.

School usually begins around 8:30, and both siblings normally wake up around six o'clock. Shizuka normally leaves around 7:15, arriving fifteen minutes later at school for the morning practice of the tea ceremony club. This is one of the irregularities that Joumon academy has in comparison to other high schools where only sports clubs follow asa-ren _{1}_ , here pretty much everyone arrives an hour before the actual school starts.

One big exception is Kusanagi Godou, member of the go home club, which according to Godou translates to "I do not want to play baseball anymore after injuring my shoulder and no other club holds my interest so I will simply go home after school" club. Even so he is not the type to wake up later than exactly six o'clock, a habit he kept from his baseball days.

Instead he has a new habit where he personally wakes up his girlfriend from Italy. The blonde one, mind you, not Liliana. From Godou's entire harem she is the only one who neither has the habit to wake up early nor the drive to buy an alarm to help her out. Instead she is fully reliant on an idiotic womanizer that wakes her up at half past eight every school day.

This time however Godou has told Shizuka that Erica will be gone for at least a week due to some family member that fell ill. As a result Godou is temporarily relieved from his responsibilities, and does not need to leave early. Except for this Monday:

The school has decided to skip all morning practice today in favor of a speech mourning the deceased of Shizuka's class. It isn't hard to imagine the entire structure of the speech: Reporting the news to the school, talking about how the chairman hold sympathy for the family of the class, then an extended speech in which they will tell some tales about each deceased, then offering prayer for those who have died and are now in heaven… or Diyu, considering the goddess who has slain them. In the end they round it off by wishing good luck for those who are still hospitalized and hope that they can quickly return to their normal life.

All in all, not that interesting. However, this does force everyone to attend high school at the exact same time, so they both leave at a quarter past seven.

While many a mage would look upon this duo and wonder what kind of diabolical plans are made between these two kings, reality is not quite that complicated.

In fact, the tension is a bit awkward as neither brother nor sister has anything specific they want to talk about. Most of what could be said was already said the day before, so now they simply walk to school, waiting until the other breaks the tension.

The first one to come up with a relevant subject is the older brother. "Say Shizuka, in less than a month we'll have to celebrate your birthday. Do you have anything specific you want as a present?"

December third, for the Kusanagi family this day signifies that the youngest daughter of the main branch has become a year older. To celebrate this event the friends and acquaintances of Shizuka usually give her quite the plethora of gifts, even though it is usually not quite that necessary. She has enough money to buy what she wants to begin with, meaning that giving a really good gift is basically impossible.

Even a king like Godou has troubles thinking up something good for that day. Hence the question asked.

"Onii-chan, how about you officially declare which one of your fou…fi…many girls is your actual girlfriend, and stop gathering a harem?" Seriously, even Shizuka lost count of the number of women interested in Godou by now. Where does it end? "I can honestly think of no better gift than that."

"Shizuka, I can't really give a gift that doesn't exist. I don't think I need to tell you that I am not gathering a harem and I'm not in a relationship with any of my friends."

"Of course you don't need to tell me any of those lies! Really, sometimes I wonder if you act this stupid on purpose or are you really that thick?"

"It's as I told you, people simply misunderstand me. I don't know why they think so, but I am not in any way similar to Gramps."

No, compared to Kusanagi Ichirou Godou is even worse. "As terrible as he is in his womanizing ways he did eventually settle down and stop visiting other women. Perhaps you should look at his virtues and learn from them?"

"That only works if I would be the same as my gramps, which I'm clearly not!"

The duo bicker on for a while, spending several minutes without conclusion. A stalemate would seem the obvious solution, but luckily for both of them a kingmaker arrives:

A maiden with a slender body, so tender that it might break if you hug her too hard. Long silver hair in a ponytail, and shining blue eyes. All together it gives this person an fairy-like aura, beautiful enough to be one of the school's three beauties.

Naturally, this person is Liliana Krancjar. Greeted by the sibling duo she joins them on their walk, where she is asked what her opinion is on the subject of Godou's possible birthday gift.

"I have to disagree with you, Shizuka-san." Much to Godou's relief, and Shizuka's surprise, Liliana does not seem to find Shizuka's idea correct. "Though I sincerely hope that Kusanagi Godou will eventually learn to act as one befitting his stature there is no denying that his womanizing ways are part of who he is. Forcibly changing his nature by having him make such a crucial decision this early in his life will only have detrimental effects for his future."

Now it is Godou who looks with despair at his friend, while Shizuka's expression can be summed up as 'I should've expected something like that to happen'. Yes, the only person in the world who does not want to see the light of his crimes is Godou himself, so it is up to Shizuka to help him see the truth and make sure he won't end up like gramps or worse.

"But I will promise one thing, Godou: No matter what happens, no matter who you choose in the future, I will be your right hand that stands by you on the victorious path." Spoken like something between a follower and a friend, but Shizuka can clearly hear a few strands of love between those lines.

"Hah." This is getting nowhere, one cannot objectively speak about those they love without any form of bias. "Then let us get back on topic. Onii-chan, there is absolutely nothing else that can equal the gift I previously mentioned, but I think that someone I spend more than ten years in the same house with would be able to get me a decent gift."

"…" That was quite the blow to Kusanagi Godou. If one can say that this king has one big flaw (assuming his womanizing is not some negative vice) then it is that he is terrible at preparing for important events. If there is a high-class party, he will hire a suit at the very last moment. He is unable to think up gifts for anyone, and he has to be dragged into helping his class for any school festivals. Even giving a good gift to his sister is a challenge that he considers harder than defeating a god.

"Kusanagi Godou, I believe that my abilities are certainly of use here. How about we go shopping together to find a correct gift for Shizuka's upcoming birthday?" Liliana shows a slight blush, having kept her emotions well-hidden. However, if there existed a magnifying glass to increase the effect of emotions a hundred times this would be equal to Liliana squealing in delight as she gets all embarrassed about going on a date with her lover.

"Ah, that's a great idea Liliana!" Kusanagi totally agrees with it. Why shouldn't he? He's getting offered a date on a free platter that also solves the problem of Shizuka's birthday. "I think that we should ask Asuka to join us, she's also quite knowledgeable on this subject."

And here we see another of Godou's magnificent actions that somehow do not decrease his popularity with girls. For an apt description of what he just did, here are Shizuka's thoughts on the matter: "Did Onii-chan seriously just put down a date for the sake of dating two girls at the exact same time?"

There's a fine line between genius and insane, and that is exactly where Godou stands, especially since his plan seems to work:

"Hmm… I cannot deny that Tokunaga Asuka will probably be a good asset for obtaining a gift. Then let us plan with her after school to determine a possible time for this all." There's still a hint of sadness in Liliana's voice that she cannot have some alone time with Godou, but this is still within acceptable bounds for her.

Shizuka on the other hand is wondering how the hell Godou is actually succeeding with all of his girls, and can only sigh in annoyance at his usual antics.

The trio arrive at the school grounds, where the group hurries to the gymnastics building. Everyone is arranged by year and class, leaving Shizuka to sit with what little remains of her class. Exactly eleven people are capable and willing to show up here, yet they put all forty-two chairs down as if to reminds us once again of all those who died. The survivors cuddle up together, sitting in the front two rows. Shizuka takes place next to Miki, the only other member of her hotel room that came out unharmed. Kuniko is still in coma while Chitose died from having a flaming hot steel bar jammed through the thoracic cavity. At least she died instantly.

The others are quiet, not in any mood to speak about this incident. Quite a few simply give a blank stare forward, their minds still not on the right track. Shizuka would like to talk with them right now, but everyone goes silent as the chairman steps upon the podium to give his speech:

"Everyone, I would like to thank you all for coming together here on this day filled with sorrow. Last week class 2-B got caught in a heavy avalanche, which caused the death of fifteen of our fellow students, and wounding several more in the process. We were all taken by surprise and grief when we heard this sorrowful news, but we cannot even compare to those who have lost their own child, their own sibling. Now we are all here to mourn those among us who have fallen, and make sure that their names will never be forgotten. Among these students there were…"

…and the speech goes on and on and on and Shizuka is already bored. Her mind lingers away, starting to think about the mages she left behind in Niseko. Tatsuya would've probably already made contact with the Committee headquarters here. Does that mean that they are currently preparing to make contact with Shizuka?

Such a thing shouldn't be too hard, right?

-x-

 _Two days later, Tenth of November, late evening._

"Aaargh! Why is this so hard? Can we really not find a single person appropriate enough to serve our latest Campione?"

The four elders of the Committee have been discussing since dawn on how to approach their new king. In a secret place only the most trusted of the History Compilation Committee know about they try to find a solution for the good of all of Japan. However, even though they have discussed for multiple days now there is nary a solution in sight.

"Oh be quiet you hairy bear, you're starting to sound like your dad." The Renjou heir, a woman in her fifties who still looks like she is thirty, scolds the Seishuuin heir for his latest outburst. "The only difficulty we have is that we need to please two kings instead of one, and we send our best hime-miko to our oldest King."

"That's true, Kimiko-san, but we're placed in a most perilous situation." The Kuhoutsuka adds with a sigh. He's not happy with being stuck in this location, he had a different job to do that he now had to cancel. "But why did we have to send Mariya Yuri to Kusanagi Godou? If we kept her in reserve we could've had the perfect person for the job. Powerful hime-miko with the strongest [Spirit Vision] in our country; Is a senior of our new king in the school club they are in and is respected by Kusanagi Shizuka for her demeanor. She would be our very own Andrea Riviera, acting as our eighth king's right hand! But nooo, we had to give her away to Kusanagi Godou!"

"Well excuuuse me, Katsuhiko-san. I'm so sorry that this hime-miko of the Renjou clan didn't get a divination that we would get two new kings within a year! Who the hell could've guessed such an improbable event? Back in May we all agreed that she was the perfect gift for Kusanagi Godou."

"Aww, don't listen to that Kuhoutsuka bloke, Kimi-chan." The elder of the Seishuuin answers flirtatiously, "I think that he is simply sick from wearing those ugly constraining suits all day."

"W-What?" Katsuhiko answers in shock, "There's nothing wrong with suits! They are seen as functional and formal these days, unlike that slouchy kimono of yours! Hey Enjou, the nineteenth century called, they want their clothing back."

"Well, perhaps my clothing is old, but it is filled with things your clothing doesn't have." Puffing up his chest Enjou shows off his muscled body, his clothing not even trying to keep those hidden. "Gaze upon my manly spirit and despair! Unlike you, who wears the clothes of foreigners, I am filled with the soul of the Japanese and the pride of my homeland. Where's your Yamato Damashii _{2}_ , baldy?"

Katsuhiko furiously slams his fist on the table. "Did you just call me bald, wildling? There's nothing abnormal about a 43 year old man being bald!"

"But I'm only a year younger, and look at my glorious mane!" To complete his taunt the Seishuuin heir swings his shoulder length hair in the wind, showing off his glorious head hair. "I think that it is pretty abnormal for someone your age to be already bald."

"And I think that it is pretty abnormal for a fourteen year old teen to still wet hi-"

"K-Katsuhiko! You promised not to tell anyone about that! I told you that in secret!"

"What, still keeping that secret?!" The Kuhoudtsuka heir speaks with glee. "Perhaps we should share it right here, that the manly Seishuuin Enjou wet his bed at age fo-"

"Enough of this, all of you!" The oldest of the four by far and current head of the Sayanomiya family shouts out loudly. "I've only been napping for half an hour and look at the mess you three cause. We're supposed to find a suitable spokesperson, not call out each other's flaws. Now can we please stop acting like children and continue?"

"Then don't fall asleep, old man Seiichirou." Enjou points out. Sure, even though the eldest head looks like a royal grandfather, with long white hair and beard, there's no denying that he's already nearing ninety, and having only four hours of sleep last night did not help to keep him awake.

"Yes…" calming himself down somewhat Katsuhiko tries to bring the discussion back on topic: "It's simply unfortunate that both Mariya sisters have been claimed by Kusanagi Godou. However, for what purpose exactly did we have to give our most promising warrior, Seishuuin Ena, to the seventh king? As far as I remember that was completely unnecessary, was it not Enjou?"

"To be fair, I did not expect my little Ena to act like that on her own. Before I realized it she became one of the king's women."

"My lovely Ena," The elder of the Kuhoutsuka speaks in a tone mimicking that of the Seishuuin head, perfectly knowing what he said that day. "I want you to become the mistress of our king Kusanagi Godou. To make him truly our king, the king of us Japanese, I want you to chase away his foreign mistresses. Use the power of the Old One if necessary."

Enjou Seishuuin is left speechless.

"Did you really forget that our family has connections good enough to render all your secrets void?"

"It… It was a good idea at the time…" The accused elder murmurs out as a last, hopeless defense.

"And because you made that stupid plan Kusanagi Godou now not only has the greatest support hime-miko, but also our greatest combat hime-miko." Kimiko complained. "Do you know how hard it is to equal that?"

"Yes, if only a certain family didn't screw up with their daughter…"

"Enjou?" Kimiko asks with tranquil fury, "Did you just say you want to die?" Pulling out several slips of magically infused paper from her pockets and holding them between her fingers she is willing to destroy this place if only to reclaim the honor of her daughter. "Because I believe I told you I wouldn't forgive you for talking like that about her."

"It is, however, true that the daughter of the Renjou does not compare to the Seishuuin heir." The oldest member interrupts, hoping to calm the heated discussion. "Enjou, Kimiko. We can't afford a fight in-between the families, so put away your weapons and snide remarks."

Reluctantly the Renjou heir puts away her weapons as the Seishuuin heir grumpily slumps back in his seat.

"Seiichirou is correct, neither Fuyuhime nor my son Mikihito are good enough to send to the new Campione compared to what we gifted Kusanagi Godou. However, is your granddaughter not one of the best hime-miko in Japan, Seiichir-"

"You will not take my dear Kaoru-chan away from me!" The Sayanomiya head screams out loudly, not agreeing with this choice. However, realizing his outburst he quickly calms himself and gives logical argument. "What I mean to say is, my grandchild is good friends with the seventh king, and a staunch supporter of that king."

"In other words," The Kuhoutsuka elder interrupts, "not only are the best support and combat miko at Kusanagi Godou's side, he also owns our best all-around miko."

"You're forgetting about Mariya Hikaru, his miko with disaster purification."

"Oh yes, you're completely right. That makes it a lot easier." Katsuhiko replies with lots of sarcasm. "Ugh, do we have a solution to this dilemma, or is this impossible after all?"

The four all sigh, still without answer.

A few moments of quiet start with no solutions found at the end of it.

"Everyone," the Renjou head breaks the silence. "How about some drinks before we continue brainstorming? A little break might help."

"Yes, you're right. Get some black coffee for me then."

"You know what I like, Kimi-chan."

"Green tea for me, Kimiko."

Having heard all of her partners' needs the Renjou heir stand up from her chair… and sits down immediately as the door to the room is abruptly shoved open.

"My apologies for interrupting this meeting, oh esteemed elders." A different messenger than the one coming from Niseko storms in, bowing done as an apology for crashing the meeting.

"I do not believe that our subordinate would interrupt us for any unimportant reason." The Sayanomiya head speaks in royal and regal tone, completely unlike a few seconds ago.

"Speak the news you have gathered, and we will judge its worth." The Renjou heir adds in, equally serious in nature.

"One of our organization has made contact with the Campione, and managed to become a direct servant of our newest king!"

"Quickly," The oldest of the group speaks with driving force, "tell us what happened!"

The messenger straightens up, and proceeds to do just that:

-x-

 _Ninth of November, Midday._

Even though Shizuka has become a Campione, a king, there are still some tasks of commoners that she has to do, including the one she is doing right now: Buying groceries for dinner. Even if she is one of those people who can do the impossible she has no interest to be like her siblings and do stupid things. If anything spending a normal life will do for now, and if a problem arrives she will deal with it on the way. The only problem that she has to solve at the moment is the question about this evening's dinner, as it is her turn to cook for the family.

The current idea is a soboro don _{3}_ , a simple dish that won't take too much time. Both of the Kusanagi siblings are not bad in the kitchen due to their parents often leaving them to fend for themselves, their skill only being a few levels under that of a professional gourmand chef. However, neither of them cares much for the food itself, preferring to cook quickly and in large quantities. As long as the taste isn't bad it doesn't need to be specifically good either.

So this chicken rice bowl dish is perfect, easy to make in large amounts and without too much ingredients to buy. Already having the vegetables for the dish Shizuka only needs to buy rice, chicken and almonds before she is done shopping.

On her way to the butcher a peculiar scene unfolds in front of it: Standing there is her niece, Koudzuki Sakura, who is accompanied by a grade-schooler wearing a peculiar eyepiece.

The grade-schooler's appearance reminds Shizuka of a doll, with her graceful features and long hair that is naturally curled. Wearing jeans and a green coat with matching beret she looks at all kinds of people moving along the way, all while muttering some low numbers that don't seem to go higher than thirty.

Is Sakura for some reason playing along with her? Moving towards her relative she greets her niece in the usual manner.

"Shizuka-chan! How are you doing?" Sakura replies in her usual energetic fashion.

I killed a god, became one of humanity's eight kings, and my future job literally became the slaying of gods invading Japan. Of course Shizuka can't answer truthfully, and simply replies that all is well. "But I think that I should ask the question in return, Sakura-chan. What are you doing?"

"Well…" Sakura looks down and shuffles her feet, something that Shizuka recognizes as uncertainty. Sakura wants to tell something, but is unsure whether she should say it or not.

After a long decision Sakura decides to open up to the one who acts as an older sister to her: "Well… uhm… would you believe me if I said I'm learning to perform magic?"

Crap. Shizuka feels some annoyance boiling within her. Lonely people like her are easy prey for occultists and cult members. She should've invited her to stay at the Kusanagi residence during her studies.

"That's ridiculous, Sakura-chan. Think about it, doing things like manipulating the elements, summoning huge monsters or creating armies out of clay puppets are not things a human can do. Who is the one that is feeding you this bull, is it the girl behind you?"

"W-Well, yes, Shizuka-chan, but it's really real! I don't have the tools for it right now, but I'll show you that I can really use magic!"

Great. Shizuka still doesn't believe a single word of it. While she is a little bit knowledgeable on the subject of magic thanks to her own studying back in Niseko, what she hears right now sounds rather fake.

So why not test it out? If she finds the one leading Sakura into that world is from the History Compilation Committee, a small scolding about bringing fresh blood in the magic world will suffice. However, if that person is either a sham or from a minor cult of sorcery, then Shizuka will have to do something… unpleasant.

"Okay then, let's say magic is real. Then what kind of magical activity are you doing right here?"

"Well, Fuyuhime-chan, that girl over there," Sakura points to the little girl with the weird eyeglass, "is an important heir to one of the great families of magic, and she invented a scouter that can measure a person's magic power. She's trying to find people with high potential so that she can train them for her own branch in the magic world."

That sounds really flaky. Shizuka does not like the sound of it, this magic Sakura is learning starts to look more and more like a sham. Time to test it then, whether or not it is real.

"Then Sakura-chan, can't that girl measure my magic energy?" If the results are not 'unnaturally stupid high, this cannot be!', then this Fuyuhime is a sham.

"What a good idea!" Sakura walks over to her friend, introducing Shizuka to Fuyuhime and explaining that they should also test Shizuka's magical energy. Fuyuhime sees no problem with that, and walks over to Shizuka.

"My name is Renjou Fuyuhime. So you are Sakura's niece?" Fuyuhime asks in a curt manner. Shizuka nods, and Fuyuhime starts to fiddle with her eyepiece to get it started. "Honestly, I don't expect to find some A-grade material from her, but it's worth a try." These words are muttered under Fuyuhime's breath, still loud enough that Shizuka can hear them.

Really, what a rude child.

Looking at Shizuka to test her magic level, as Sakura calls it, Fuyuhime starts to read the numbers on her eye screen, going through several stages of facial expressions in three seconds:

From indifferent to interested as Shizuka's power rises, then to happy as she finds out that Shizuka has potential. This is followed by an overjoyed face when she finds out that Shizuka's level is equal to that of the very talented people in the magic world, and then she starts to wonder and doubt when Shizuka's level starts to beat the top of the magic world. And it doesn't stop rising, so all of Fuyuhime's emotions disappear, leaving only shock and fear as she continues to stare at Shizuka.

Yep, this Fuyuhime is the real deal, Shizuka notes to herself. If she can successfully find out how powerful Shizuka is then she is probably associated with either the HCC or a minor cult, and given how she introduced herself as one from a great family she's probably part of the HCC's main branches.

While Fuyuhime still stares in shock at this apparent Campione Sakura looks as bubbly as ever. She hasn't noticed the power that Fuyuhime is measuring and wants to share in the knowledge her friend knows.

"Fuyuhime-chan, what does the scouter say about her power level?"

Fuyuhime would normally take the scouter off and perhaps crush it in her hand while shouting that it is over a certain very high number, but before she could grab the device that showed higher and higher numbers every millisecond it exploded, the remains scattering down on the ground.

"W-W-What is this?!" Fuyuhime pretty much screams out. "How can you have this much magic capacity without mages ever noticing you?! T-The only ones who have such an immeasurable power are… are… are…"

"Campione." Shizuka answers calmly. Yes, now to see how they will react.

"Whawhat?" Fuyuhime almost screams out, disbelieving what happened. Completely flabbergasted she stares at the youngest king, only unintelligible mumbles streaming from her mouth.

"Campione? Isn't that one of those terms they use for devil kings, Fuyuhime-chan?" On the other hand, Sakura looks as bubbly as always, completely unwavering to this news.

Fuyuhime nods blankly, confirming her friend and pupil's words. "Y-Yes, they are the rare kind of humans who successfully slay a god and take their powers for themselves."

"Uwaah…!" Instead of shaking like her teacher she seems to be happy, ecstatic even. She flies towards Shizuka and hugs her tightly as a sign of congratulations. "I can't believe it, to think that you did such an amazing act! You're really amazing, Shizuka-chan!"

"Yes, I know, Sakura-chan." Embracing her niece in return Shizuka tries to explain more details about what happened. "Although it has only been for a week, I did manage to somehow slay a god."

"How? How did you do that?" Fuyuhime starts to point fingers, her entire body giving off a fight or flight reaction. The only problem with that human system is that neither attacking nor running away seem like good ideas now. "How did you slay a god, without even being versed in the world of magic?"

Shizuka can barely give a good explanation. There were so many random variables, each capable of screwing up Shizuka's victory, yet somehow all of them aligned to form a row of miracles. "Luck, determination and willpower, I guess. Even I'm not quite sure myself of how I did it."

"That's it? No magic, no other things? Just plain luck and willpower?" If anything Fuyuhime starts to look both jealous and depressed. "I…ugh…" The words fail to come out of her mouth as she hangs her head in shame.

"Say Sakura-chan, what is wrong with her?"

Sakura lets go of Shizuka and starts to explain the situation around her friend: "You see, Fuyuhime-chan is born with this special condition that doesn't allow her to store magic energy in her body, preventing her from using magic. The Committee she is part of doesn't think that she should become the next head of her family because of that, even though she works really hard to keep up!"

Shizuka does feel bad for Fuyuhime. If Sakura, who is one of the few people Shizuka has a big soft spot in her heart for, claims that her friend is in a horrible situation then Shizuka is quick to believe that. There is no way Sakura would lie, she is too pure for that.

So can Shizuka help Fuyuhime with her problem? She flexes her hand a few times, as if grasping some sort of imaginary power. Yes, she stole her power from a goddess who is also responsible for giving life to humans. While the powers of the godslayer are not that much compared to that of the god, it is wrong to say that she cannot copy that power to some degree.

Yes, it is possible. Standing firm she tells Fuyuhime of a new possibility: "I do not believe that it is impossible for me to cure that condition."

Fuyuhime perks up, but not in an especially hopeful way.

"Forgive me for saying this, but can you really do that? You only became a Campione a week ago, so you only have a single authority thus far. As far as history goes the first authorities of kings are almost always purely for the sake of combat, so can your newest authority truly do such a thing?"

"It doesn't feel impossible, so it should be possible." The only thing to go by is a sense of intuition that screams that she should do it. "Although I also get the feeling that it will cause a binding contract for life."

Just like how that goddess offered Shizuka power so too does this offer work: Fuyuhime will become a full-fledged mage, but is forced to serve Shizuka for probably her entire life.

Fuyuhime understands, but does not let it deter her. Kneeling down in front of Shizuka she makes her promise and absolute vow: "Then I will follow you until the end of the earth. Kusanagi Shizuka, I will promise you unwavering loyalty as I will stand as your right hand in everything. I, Renjou Fuyuhime, swear thus." If Fuyuhime did not know Sakura then this decision would require a lot of thought. However, Sakura likes and is well-liked by her new lord, so it will probably not be that bad.

"Okay, Okay, I believe you, now can you please stand up? There are people watching us." Indeed, people seem to stare at Fuyuhime for her sudden oath. Noticing the people around her the Renjou stands up, looking Shizuka straight in the eye.

"So can you solve this problem right now?" Fuyuhime's worry and despair have been switched with eagerness and hope, as she cannot wait to perform actual magic!

Looking at a nearby clock tower Shizuka sees that she still has some time left before she needs to go home. As the old saying goes, don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

"Of course I can solve it now, but I don't want to use my power in a crowded area like this. Do you know any place where this can happen in secret?"

"The Renjou do own several buildings here in Tokyo, including some mostly empty warehouses. Unless you need certain materials for your authority there is an spot a few minutes away from here that is perfect for the job."

"No, that spot will do. Lead the way, please."

Fuyuhime leads the way, and the other two follow. Relatively early during the walk Shizuka's niece starts to ask some questions about the kingship of the eight godslayer.

"So Shizuka-chan, if you are a godslayer… yes, that would work." Sakura starts to perk up, realizing a golden opportunity: "Say, did you know that there is another devil king here in Tokyo?"

Another devil king? Shizuka looks intrigued at her niece, while Fuyuhime looks like she shat her pants.

"Yes, there's this really fearsome devil king who is the cause of many scary events that have been happening for quite some time now. A part of the highway here in Tokyo collapsed and the Tokyo Tower caught fire, among quite a few other things. These are all his fault! I wanted to talk with him to see if he could stop all this, but I've tried twice without success now. All we got is that man's name!"

Hang on, wasn't Sakura also there when Kusanagi Godou revealed himself as Japan's king? Fuyuhime looks with worry at Sakura, but is fully aware Sakura will not be stopped talking about this evil devil. All she can do is brace herself for impact.

"No, I didn't receive any news about other kings in this city." Shizuka replies in a serious tone. Why didn't Tatsuya or one of the other members tell her about the other king? "So what is the name of my peer?"

"Your peer, the seventh king, goes by the name of Kusasagi Goroh!"

Who the heck is that?

Almost sighing from relief Fuyuhime deduces that the HCC probably used some kind of memory altering magic on Sakura when she figured out Godou's true identity, meaning that the only name Sakura can work with is the false one Fuyuhime gave her. That's one problem averted. On the other hand…

"So this Kusasagi Goroh, what kind of person is he?"

…if Shizuka and Sakura are even the slightest bit alike then Kusanagi Godou will be judged evil and be fought by Shizuka "for great justice", the woe on Tokyo be damned. This is where Fuyuhime must cut in!

"Among the devil kings he is the one who will cause the least trouble in peaceful times, trying to live a simple life here in Tokyo. However, if forced to battle he is a pragmatic warrior who will use any and all openings to his advantage, often causing destruction to the area. Even though he gives off the expression of a bad guy, he is simply someone who tries his best to live a simple live."

For some reason Shizuka is slightly reminded of her own brother, but dismisses that thought quickly. No, that's absolutely impossible. However, perhaps those skills honed on her brother can be used against this king, perhaps with the help of some… divine authority, so to say.

"I will deal with him when the time comes. Don't worry Fuyuhime-san, I have no intention of fighting him as long as he doesn't fight me."

"Fuyuhime-chan, wasn't he really bad and didn't he try to do s-"

"No, I managed to obtain an audience with him, and he is not as bad as he seems." Fuyuhime quickly interrupts, not wanting to let Shizuka know that Kusanagi Godou is rumored to be quite the sexual deviant, which is not true: Those types of people know that they have many lovers and act according to the situation. Godou on the other hand, how can anyone be so thick that he doesn't even see love when it is presented to him on a silver platter?! "Other than his knuckle-headed negligence for the surroundings in battle he is quite the nice guy, and most of the rumors are plain exaggerations."

"Ah, you did not get hurt, Fuyuhime-chan?"

"While it was scary meeting him, he turned out to be quite amicable without any evil intentions towards me. Trust me, he's a nice guy… normally." Wanting to end this subject quickly Fuyuhime starts to talk about something different: "Say Shizuka-san, which god did you slay, and what authority did you obtain?"

Shizuka has no problems changing the subject, so goes along with Fuyuhime's questions. "As for the goddess I slew… I know that she is an earth goddess from China, but she never gave me her full name. And as for my authority… hey Fuyuhime-san, can we go through that back alley there? I can simply show it to you."

According to Fuyuhime that alleyway was part of the original course, so no problems there. The back alley is completely empty, something that is really rare down in Tokyo. The trio stops walking, giving Shizuka some time to show her first authority. With no other witnesses Shizuka summons one of the five stones I her hand: "O Water, descend from the heavens!" The stone of water appears in Shizuka's hand, being about as big as the one she picked up before becoming a Campione.

"A… stone?" Sakura speaks up in confusion. Is that it? That's kind of lame if that is all.

"A stone containing more power than a thousand talented mages. This is one of the five [Stones of Heaven], and the authority I obtained from that goddess." She then circles through the other authorities, changing the color and property of the stone one after the other: "O Earth! O Wood! O Steel! O Fire!"

The stone changes from blue to red to white to black to yellow, the type of energy it is radiating with changing every time.

"So the stones allow you manipulation of the elements, huh?" Fuyuhime chimes in. "It sounds interesting, but there must be massive restrictions on a weapon with so much variety." If there is one lesson to be learned from the powers of a godslayer then it is that the more ground an authority covers the larger the restrictions are.

And that is correct. "Of course there are many restrictions. A few days ago I used this stone to its full potential and now it still only recovered half of its power." With a sigh she dismisses the stone, having finished showing her authority. "To cure you I will probably be unable to use a fifth of my authority for a full week."

Fuyuhime quickly realizes the importance of Shizuka's act, and silently shows her appreciation by shutting up about any possible weaknesses.

The trio start walking again, going their way to the empty warehouse.

"Uhm… Shizuka-chan?" Sakura has an idea in her head, but is unsure whether to ask it or not. Shizuka allows the question, so Sakura asks away: "Okay, Shizuka-chan, about your power: You can summon magical stones that can harness the elements. Why don't you name them the [Philosopher Stones]? I think it sounds way better than [Stones of Heaven]."

"To be fair, she has a point." Fuyuhime sides with her friend on this point. "I think it sounds a lot better then what you originally planned."

Point taken, [Philosopher Stones] doesn't sound that bad. There are certainly worse names for her authority. And why not humor Sakura and her friend Fuyuhime, it's not like Shizuka holds such grandiose worth to how her powers are named.

"[Philosophers Stones] it is then, Sakura-chan."

Sakura looks happily at Shizuka because her advice was taken well. Fuyuhime on the other hand point out that they arrived at the destination.

According to Fuyuhime the key to the back door lies hidden in a basket next to the door, and just like Fuyuhime said it so it was. Opening the door the trio enters the almost empty warehouse.

Some empty racks stand in rows at the right side of the building, with small traces of magic indicating that this place was used for storing magical goods. A few windows at the left side of the building provide a dim light that makes vision possible. There are also a few small guard stations, deserted ever since this building stopped being used.

Nothing here, completely empty of live. Even small mammals like mice do not show up in this place.

Perfect. It's time for the spectacle.

Shizuka starts to ponder about how she should start this procedure. How do you cure this person? Does her authority actually have healing functions, or can her body be turned to normal? What is the structural difference between a body that can use magic and one that cannot? How do you turn a body from one state into the other?

Ugh… this is like a layman trying to perform a complicated heart surgery. If Shizuka keeps treating helping Fuyuhime as one then there will be no end in sight. In other words, this has to be solved in a different way, and there is only one possibility.

"O Earth, descend from the heavens!" Shizuka summons the stone of earth, vividly imagining the procedure she wants to try.

"So… do I need to do anything, Shizuka-san?" Fuyuhime asks politely, wanting to help to make the procedure to go as smoothly as possible.

"The only thing you need to do is make sure is that you won't die."

Fuyuhime starts to sweat, not liking where this is going. "H-Hang on, what do you mean by that, not dying? Why would I die?"

"I have to admit that I don't really know how to cure this problem, so my method is a bit more extreme: I'm going to destroy your body and transfer your soul to a body that does not have said problem."

"What?!" Fuyuhime almost shouts in outrage. That sounds stupidly dangerous and really untrustworthy. "Please tell me that you know how to do this, don't you?"

"…" Well… no. Shizuka has never done this procedure before, nor is she fully aware of how this actually works. Even so, as long as her feelings say that it will work then it will work.

Shizuka's silence does not please Fuyuhime. Even Sakura is starting to have doubts, and Fuyuhime wants to cower out: "Say, uhm, Shizuka-san, I believe it would be better if we don't do this. Perhaps you first need to gather some experience?"

"Be faithful to me unto death. Stand by my side no matter what, even if the whole world is my enemy." But the best way for someone to subjugate his fears is to confront them. Shizuka will not allow Fuyuhime to run away. "I promise you a bond that will never go away. Renjou Fuyuhime, do you accept?"

"Y-Y-Yes…?" Fuyuhime has made the promise, and she doesn't plan to back away from it.

Upon accepting these words the stone of earth enters Fuyuhime's body, causing her to be enveloped in a bright shining light even Shizuka cannot see through.

"Shizuka-chan, are you sure this will work?" Sakura asks, having stepped back two strides and her arm now covering her eyes.

"To be completely honest here… not really, no."

This is the second time Shizuka has used her authority, third if you count that instance before she became a Campione. Those two instances could be summarized as "Stab goddess with pointy metal thing" and "Burn stuff with fiery stone", and compared to those blunt attacks that are probably the most basic forms of her authority this use is much more complex.

"But Sakura-chan, I don't believe that anything is wrong yet. I have no reason to do anything harmful to Fuyuhime-san, nor am I retracting my earlier words. Besides, compared to slaying a god this is way easier. The body is starting to form well, too."

"Yes, I believe you…" Even so Sakura is not calmed. Because even with her eyes temporarily blinded she can still listen, and her ears pick it up: "…but why does it sound like Fuyuhime-chan is suffocating?"

Suffocating? Shizuka sharpens her sense of hearing, and it sounds exactly as Sakura describes. "Why is she choking? There shouldn't be anything wrong with her!"

How can this be? The entire earth stone is used to create a new body for her. As far as Shizuka knows Earth is the element from which human bodies are created. If that is all then there should be no problem, so why does it seem like Fuyuhime is dying? Where is the mistake?

As far as myths go one of the most common human creation story is that human bodies are formed from earth and then life is blown… into… them… That's it, the Earth stone only creates a new body, but it doesn't grant it new life! Another stone needs to be used to make this work!

Shizuka reviews in her mind whatever she learned about the five eastern elements, trying to find the conclusion to this problem. There, hidden deep down in her memories she finds the answer! While one would usually think that water, which holds the power over storms, is connected to wind it is in fact the stone of wood that governs the breeze of life!

"O Wood, descend from the heavens!" Shizuka summons a second stone and continues with the spellwords describing her goal: "From the energy of earth I made the body, with the breeze of life I will grant it function. Fuyuhime-san, don't you dare die on me!"

The second stone enters the bright light, and the gagging sound seems to stop. Did it work?

A few long seconds later and the light dims down, as the body of the one operated on falls to the ground, hyperventilating from a lack of air. The two stones fall out of Fuyuhime's body like empty cartridges out of a shotgun. They will need a week to be back at full energy again.

Shizuka too starts to pant, the stress from this predicament taking more out of her then she thought.

"Well, it seems to have all worked out in the end." Shizuka manages to let out between her breaths. "Good thing I thought to use the stone of [Wood], or this might have ended up disastrously." Sakura too is happy, hugging her friend that managed to hang on while praising her tenacity.

"The hell, what do you mean with worked out in the end?!" Well, Fuyuhime on the other hand is rather angry at this sudden procedure. "I nearly died there because of a mistake you made, and you shove it off with an oops? How irresponsible can you be?!"

Okay, that is true, but Shizuka did try to help and in the end succeeded. Overlooking this should be possible, right? "I'm sorry for hurting you, but as long as we reached the planned goal without any side effect I still say that I succeeded. Could you please try to use magic now?"

"Okay then, let's see if you actually succeeded, Shizuka-san." Sakura gets away from Fuyuhime, letting her get on her knees. The newborn magus then snaps her fingers and opens her palm, causing four small orbs of light to come out of it and gather around her.

For a spell [Ghostfire] is quite simple, all it does is illuminate the surroundings. But still, it is actual magic produced by someone who could never use it before!

"I… I did it! I really used magic!" She stands up in glee, acting like she just won the lottery. "I can finally do it! I can use magic!"

"Congratulations, Fuyuhime-chan! You can now finally do it too!"

"So it seems it was a success."

"Yes it was, Shizuka-san. I want apologize for my previous outburst, thank you for finally giving me a bo…" Fuyuhime looks at the other two, mainly at one point that strikes wrong to her. "Say, why do I still look like this?"

The other two don't really understand the question. Is there something wrong with this body?

"I don't really see what you mean." Shizuka tries to look and hard, but doesn't see the problem. She is quite beautiful, so there is no real reason to change her appearance. "I mean, you're quite pretty for a ten year old, so I didn't see a reason to change yo-"

"I'm twenty-one, you dunce! What kind of idiot would think that I am ten when they know that I am friends with a college student! Dumbass! The only reason I look so young was because of that disease! How stupid can you be?"

Fuyuhime quickly realized who she is insulting, and quickly bows down on hands and knees. "I… I'm sorry for what I said, please forgive me."

Clearly a plea from a mortal to a godslayer, Shizuka notes. However, she did have a point with her accusations. It's true that Shizuka did not recognize Fuyuhime's true age and she did cause unnecessary danger. "Don't worry about it. I'm not some megalomaniac who does not recognize her own wrongdoings, so I know that I made some mistakes. However, can you not say that your situation didn't change for the better?"

"That's… true. at least I can use magic now." Fyuyuhime may not look any different, but at least her condition is cured. However, she can also feel that she just signed a leonine clause _{4}_ , as she cannot even muster the tiniest fraction of resistance against Shizuka. Yes, she is forced to serves her entire live under her new master, a direct underling of the eight godslayer. On the other hand, Shizuka does not seem quite as bad as the other kings, but certainly that quality will evolve over time. It's now up to Fuyuhime to lessen the damage her king will cause.

A low grumble of her stomach tells Fuyuhime that she wants to try some food with her new body. Seeing it as a decent opportunity to improve relations with her newest follower Shizuka invites the other two for dinner.

They accept, and the trio go off to buy the rest of the ingredients.

-x-

 _Same day, evening._

This… is not what Renjou Fuyuhime expected. Sure, with Kusanagi as a last name and being family of the niece of the seventh godslayer means that there is probably some relation between the two youngest kings, and the first thought was that Kusanagi Godou and Kusanagi Shizuka are nephew and niece of one another.

But to think that the two youngest kings are siblings? That is something she did not see coming. Imagine her surprise when she stood in front of Shizuka's home to find the slayer of Verethragna opening the door. Her heart almost skipped a beat. Even weirder is that neither Godou nor Shizuka seem to recognize one another as a king, both acting as if they are living a normal lifestyle. They act more as if they are trying to hide their status from each other…

Wow, they weren't kidding when they said that all kings are idiots by nature. Considering that these monarchs have a sixth sense for magic they should've no problem figuring out who their fellow kings are, so how can these two miss something so obvious?

Ah, that is a problem these siblings will have to sort themselves. Forgetting all about that Fuyuhime enters the house along with the rest.

For a building that houses two kings it is quite poor, but not in the way of decay. It's simply a small side building which was once a small family business. According to Sakura this place used to function as a bookstore, but it went bankrupt due to its inability to adapt to modern times. Right now it serves as a humble home with a living room, separated kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a storage room.

Shizuka and Sakura took it upon themselves to introduce Fuyuhime to the two males. They did it splendidly, but a moment of silent awkwardness ends up between Godou and Fuyuhime as they both know that this is not the first time they met, aware of each other's position as Campione and magus respectively.

The five people inside quickly split up: Shizuka and her niece start cooking dinner, while Godou excused himself so he could empty his bladder. This leaves only Fuyuhime and Shizuka's grandfather Ichirou in the living room.

One is an adult female who looks like she is ten. The other is an unrelated male in the late years of his life. Normally forced talk between two of these types would look rather unnatural, and might perhaps end in someone calling the police to call the elder a pedophile. Luckily Kusanagi Ichirou is a lot better with women (Shizuka is an exception), so no problems are expected as he opens the conversation:

"So Renjou-san, are you perhaps acquainted with a certain Renjou Kimiko?"

Fuyuhime looks up at this old man, surprise on her face. "You know my mother?" She didn't expect there to be an older relation between these two families.

"Yes, Kimiko-chan was quite the cute girl when I first met her. She had the same long wavy hair that you have, and her eyes are as mesmerizing as yours."

"Yes, that certainly sounds like my mom alright." She does indeed have quite the beautiful eyes. "So why are you talking about her like you were lovers or so?"

"Well, that's obviously because we were!."

"Y-Y-You were what?!" Fuyuhime turns red, still not quite believing what she hears. "So y-you and m-my mom have… have…"

"I think I'll keep what could've happened in the bedroom a secret for your mom's sake, okay?" Yes, that is not helping Fuyuhime's mood at all, hearing an old man casually admitting to have performed the act of lovemaking with her mother. "But yes, it's true that we went out together for a while. If circumstances were different you might have been Godou's and Shizuka's aunt!"

"I-I-I see. C-Can we change the subject please, I'm not interested in hearing old stories about your l-love!"

"Sure, there are other things to talk about." Ichirou laughs the subject away in quite the charming manner, before continuing a slightly more serious nature. "More importantly, how is Kimiko doing these days? Her boundless energy still as shining as ever?"

Okay, this is a subject she can talk about without worry. "Well, mom is quite nice usually, and she is really doting. Sometimes she's a bit too energetic, but you're absolutely right about that being part of her charm."

"I see, she sounds just like she was thirty years ago. So if she's still in good health she should be the current heir to the Renjou branch of the Committee around now, right?"

"Yes, mom's doing a pretty good job at administrating the hime-miko for the HC…" Hang on… something isn't right at all here: "How do you know that information?!" One half of Fuyuhime wants to immediately perform hypnosis on this man to make him forget everything, yet the other half tells her that she needs to figure out the source of his knowledge first.

"Well, you know what they say: It takes a mage to know one." That is a lie on Ichirou's part, but for the sake of keeping the lead in this conversation it is a necessary one. "I've traveled all over the world when I was younger, meeting all sorts of supernatural events and other mages. For example, did you know that I also dated Lucretia Zola?"

"You did what?!" Fuyuhime almost shouts out, disbelieving what is happening. He used to date the greatest witch on earth (not counting divine ancestors)?

"Yes we went out with one another. I believe that love started to blossom when we solved that plague curse back in the fifties. But it didn't work out between us, and I eventually left the world of magic behind me for my wife." And a bit more lies, but still packed in enough truth to make it believable. "Now all of my children live outside of the magic world, but I'm afraid that some of my grandchildren are getting involved. Last time I checked both Blandelli and Seishuuin are pretty important names in the magic world, and obviously there's you."

Fuyuhime gulps, realizing that this is going in a bad direction. If before he seemed to be an old charismatic man, now he combines it with an aura of seriousness.

"While I can't say for sure whether Godou is involved in the world of magic or simply using his charm on mages and non-mages alike, I do know that you might influence Shizuka and Sakura with the world of magic... or perhaps you already did so? Would you kindly tell me the truth?"

Her emotions still somewhat in jumbles from the sudden reveal and all Fuyuhime falls for the charming question, but is still able to keep Shizuka's feat a secret: "Yes, because of me they did learn about the world of magic, but I swear that I have nor will lead them in any supernatural trouble." After all, knowing Campione that is what Shizuka will do to Fuyuhime, not the other way around.

"Good. Now, if you talk about this with anyone, or something does happen to one of my grandchildren… these old bones may be spry, but I think I'll have to show you why I can stand as Lucretia Zola's partner."

How can a possible death threat be made with such a charming smile? Those words sent chills down the bone of Fuyuhime, who was almost willing to retort with magic were it not for Kusanagi Godou returning from the toilet.

"Ah, did I miss something?" Godou asks to the duo on the couch, of which the youngest looks rather white.

"Nothing at all, Godou. Just some small talk that stays between us, isn't that right Fuyuhime-chan?"

Fuyuhime agrees with a nod, knowing that she should not talk about this subject any longer.

"Either way, Godou, could you check up on Shizuka and see how far dinner is? I'm starving here."

Godou does as his gramps asks him to, but there is no need for it as Shizuka and Sakura come out of the kitchen carrying two large stewing pans, one filled with rice and the other with the topping. Godou puts two large coasters on table so the two women can put the food down. All five then help with setting up the table, before all of them sit down to enjoy the food.

The food itself is decent, and everyone quickly finishes their portion. Only after the two guests say that they do not want any more do Shizuka and Godou take seconds, devouring the rest of the food as if they won't eat again for another week. Fuyuhime looks in amazement at the two siblings, while Ichirou gives a hearty chuckle.

After dinner it would normally be time to part, but out of hospitality Shizuka decides to put what she leaned in her club to practice and offers to make some good tea. For some reason luck decides to abandon Shizuka as the fresh tea leaves have run out and they forgot to restock them. Without any leaves it becomes impossible to fulfill her own order… unless she does that:

The door between the living room and kitchen is shut tight. Nobody will notice if she does something abnormal here. So using her authority a bit to fulfill the need of tea will suffice if she doesn't trouble anyone else with it, right?

"O metal, descend from the heavens." Whispering the sacred command the stone of [Metal] appears in her hand, the same one she used on that fateful day around a week ago.

Why [Metal] instead of the more logical [Water]?

Well, Chinese elements are weird in general. When it comes to tea the five Chinese elements follow the perennial tea ceremony, and since it is November the tea most easily produced comes from the stone of fall, which is [Metal].

Who would've thought that random trivia from your club activity will ever be useful like this?

"For the sake of hospitality I call upon the sacrosanct." Softly speaking these words of power so that no one will hear it Shizuka concentrates her energy on the stone. "Here I declare that my goal will absolutely be fulfilled!" These words would certainly sound a lot more awesome if they weren't used for the sake of making tea.

Meanwhile back in the living room Godou shudders slightly, getting the same fight or flight reaction that normally happens when a deity descends. Unlike those descends however the feeling leaves within a second, causing Godou to interpret it as some sort of bad omen for the days to come. Surely there can't be a king or god within a few meters from him using his authority, right? He would've certainly noticed that before.

Back in the kitchen the final result would make any mage worth his salt scream from frustration. Not because Shizuka failed, no. Right now she has five hot cups of white tea standing on a tray in front of her, exactly as she wanted. No, the mage would scream in frustration that Shizuka used more energy than the entire reserves of a trained mage, all for the sake of making tea.

The only thing that dampens the rage is that the tea tastes absolutely divine. Having brought this tea to the living room Shizuka drinks it together with the other four, and each of them praises the taste of the tea.

"Bai Hao Yin Zhen _{5}_ …" Kusanagi Ichirou mutters under his breath, recognizing what Shizuka just served. Where and when did she obtain something as expensive as that? Magic or simply good connections? Knowing Shizuka both options are equally possible. Ah, it is not that important, the ability to magically generate tea will probably not get Shizuka in trouble. Ichirou gives a glance at Fuyuhime, indicating that he does not mind Shizuka learning these types of magic.

Fuyuhime seems to have a rudimentary understanding of what Ichirou hints at: "This level of magic is okay." Fuyuhime still looks with suspicion at the old man, but also realizes that undertaking malign actions against the caretaker of two Campione is kind of stupid, and her contract with Shizuka would probably forbid such things in general.

The tea is eventually finished, and it is time for Sakura and Fuyuhime to leave. After saying goodbyes (and giving Shizuka her cellphone number) Fuyuhime is walking along the streets with Sakura to her home. However, there is one last task: to tell what happened, except for Kusanagi Ichirou, to the HCC.

It will certainly be news that brings great joy to the association.

-x-

 _Back to where we left the HCC:_

"So to summarize, Renjou Fuyuhime has successfully made contact with our newest king and serves as her right-hand woman. Due to our newest lord's authority she obtained great magical power at the cost of serving Kusanagi Shizuka for the rest of her life. However, Kusanagi Shizuka does not seem to abuse her rule over Renjou Fuyuhime nor cause any other outrageous problems. With her serving our newest lord, the problem of how to serve our eighth king has been solved."

"Indeed, with this our job to find a servant equal to one of the seventh's trio is finished." The Sayanomiya speaks in his formal powerful tone, like he usually addresses an inferior. "I believe that your job is finished now, messenger. I would ask you to leave as us elders will clear the final bits and pieces."

"Of course, esteemed elders!" The messenger bows, and then leaves the chamber through the door. The four elders of the committee sit straight in their chairs, waiting for the messenger to be far enough away to not hear whatever happens next.

Seeshiun Enjou, knowing some of the others quite well, silently gestures a countdown to Katsuhiko:

3…

2…

1…

"Ha! And my daughter is useless, you said! My daughter is not useful, you said! My daughter is unfit to be a heir, you said!"

Yep, Kimiko's years of frustration about the treatment of her daughter is finally unleashed now that a massive turnabout switched around the situation. Enjou slumps in his chair, mentally preparing himself for the long, long rant. Giving a quick glance to the other two males reveals that they did the exact same thing, trying to withstand the upcoming verbal assault.

"All those years I had to hear those insults about my daughter: 'She has a disease that does not let her use magic, how useless.' 'Can it be, a maiden from the largest hime-miko bloodline unable to use magic?' 'Such a disgrace to the Renjou name.' These and many, many other lines flew past my ears, to my little girl that works so hard to prove herself! But her good deeds have finally created a miracle!"

The others only listen with half an ear, really not interested in hearing someone speak about how grandiose their dearest person is.

"Her condition healed, she is now a mage directly serving our newest king. Empowered by Kusanagi Shizuka herself, she's become a hime-miko on par with, possibly even above the level of Ena and Kaoru!"

"No, I believe that you are wrong there, Kimiko." The Sayanomiya heir retorts, seeing a contradiction in the Renjou's words.

"What, don't believe that my daughter has finally reached the level of yours and went beyond it?"

"First of all, let's stop talking about power levels. I do not want to discuss such level of power when we have two kings in our country, and more importantly you're seriously annoying the other three of us with this bragging of yours." Spoken with hidden fury the oldest member speaks the thoughts of the three males, who are all not interested in hearing more of that.

Kimiko gives a small bow of apology, her manner now once more a little bit more seriously. "Yes, you're right. Sorry, I guess I was a bit excited about my daughter. It is a rather special event, after all."

"I doesn't matter, Kimiko-san, I would've done the same if this happened to my Mikihiko. Now about the mistake you made, it centers more about the nature of your daughter. I have good reason to believe that she is not hime-miko anymore."

"Hang on, not a hime-miko? But she's still my daughter, albeit now with her disease cured. If I am a hime-miko then she should be one too, right?"

"Remember what our messenger said?" The Sayanomiya heir opens the report to the right page, where the words he seeks stand precisely written: "Kusanagi Shizuka managed to use [Philosopher's Stones] to create a new body for Renjou Fuyuhime, thereby granting her the ability to cast magic."

"So…?" Kimiko still doesn't understand, nor does Enjou Seishuuin. The Kuhoutsuka elder, on the other hand, believes he figured it out too:

"It's actually quite simple. The powers of a hime-miko are hereditary, which means that they are connected to the body. Our king destroyed the original body and replaced it with a new one. That new body is obviously not a descendant from some divine ancestor, thus it can be safely concluded that Fuyuhime is not a hime-miko."

"Hmm…" Kimiko has to admit that the point sounds valid. There isn't really anything to object to. "So does that mean that my little girl is now a powerful heretic mage?"

"No, that's also wrong." Now it is the elder once more that speaks up. "The authority used by our king is one she usurped from a mother earth goddess. Using this power she created a new body for Renjou Fuyuhime, making your daughter her servant. In other words, Fuyuhime is the servant, or priestess, of one wielding the power of a earth goddess. You should understand what this means, do you not, Kimiko."

"My daughter… is a witch?" The three men nod in acknowledgement, all realizing what exactly happened to the future Renjou heir. "Well, that is quite the surprise." Even so, unimportant whether Fuyuhime is a witch, hime-miko, or has no hereditary magic at all, Kimiko is still very happy for her daughter.

"Actually, there is even a second way to confirm this hypothesis." The Seishuuin elder speaks up. The other three look questionably at their peer, but allow him to continue talking. Since one of the stones used for the creation of your daughter is [Wood], it is not wrong to say that she is partially made of wood, right?"

"Indeed, but what does that say?"

"Well, we also learned that there was no external chance to Fuyuhime's body, which means that her weight is probably still the same. Considering that she never weighed much to begin with, I would say that she weighs the same as a large duck."

"You… completely lost me. I don't have a clue as to what you are saying." Neither Renjou nor Sayanomiya understands what Enjou wants to say. Katsuhiko on the other hand believes to understand where Enjou wants to go, grinning slightly as he starts to understands the joke:

"So… if she weighs the same as a duck... then she is made of wood... then that means..."

"A witch! A witch!" Old man Seiichirou shouts out, also laughing as he finally understands the joke.

The three men fall over from laughing, forgetting everything else in the favor of this reference.

"Really?" The Hime-miko simply looks at the other three with severe annoyance. "Really? We're seriously quoting Monty Python and the Holy Grail _{6}_ here? I'm now inclined to do something horrible to you all."

"Like what?" Enjou speaks in between his laughs. "Will you call my mother a hamster and say that my dad smells like elderberries?" The three man continue to laugh, perhaps even harder than before. Kimiko on the other hand only looks more and more annoyed.

Because of the laughter old man Seiichirou fails to contain the air from his back end, releasing it as a noisy fart. For a small moment the laughter dims, as they look at the elderly man who accidentally made a mistake in etiquette. Kimiko smiles slightly, hoping that this can bring the conversation back on track. The Sayanomiya on the other hand starts to think of a way to save face.

The three males are still affected by the laughter attack, so perhaps… yes, that's it! "See?" He starts to talk with a French accent to the only female in the room. "I fart in your general direction!"

Thus the trio of males start to laugh again, and the Renjou elder only looks more and more annoyed.

"I hate you all. Screw this, I'm out of here." And with those words she walks to the exit.

"Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!" the Seishuuin elder adds, only causing the roars of laughter to erupt even higher.

Kimiko proceeds to do exactly that. She exits the room and closes the door behind her, letting out a sigh of annoyance.

Males.

What a bunch of idiots.

-x-

{1} Asa-ren: the concept of morning practice. Starts at 7:30 in the morning.

{2} Yamato damashii: Translates to Japanese Spirit. Based on what makes Japan great and unique. Follows the three virtues of persistence, insight and talent.

{3} Soboro don: A simple chicken rice bowl that literally can be made in under ten minutes. If you have no time to cook but don't want an instant meal, try to make this dish.

{4} Leonine clause: A one-sided bargain, named after one of Aesop's fables, "The Lion and his fellow-hunters".

{5} Bai Hao Yin Zhen: A pricy white tea from China, it sells for 350-400$ per kilogram. It tastes fleshy, sweet and delicate, and the silvery hairs of the tea buds ae still visible in the tea.

{6} Monty Python and the Holy Grail: A famous movie depicting the totally accurate historical journey of King Rama and his subordinates. The film was made through a combination of two people: a godslayer known as Graham Chapman, who became a Campione by slaying Thalia, the goddess of order, vegetation and most importantly comedy; His partner while making this film was Bacchus, god of wine and theater.

-x-

And that was the third chapter of It sits in the family!

With this the Rise to Kingship arc is finished. This arc can be summarized in three questions: How did Shizuka become a Campione? How did Shizuka make contact with the HCC? How does Shizuka settle in Japan as a godslayer? I believe that I have answered them all to the best of my ability.

The big question one should ask if you make an eighth king is how you support him. You can give him the support characters of other kings, but that's just stealing. You can give him a canon character who does not serve any king, but those are usually left aside for a reason. You can also give him OC's, but they require characterization to fully flesh out and be acceptable. Each have their pros and cons, but choose whatever suits the story the best.

One thing I should've thought out more is the fact that Wu Xing is stupidly complex and has some connections that us westerners find really weird. For example, take Madame Aisha's authority [Winter Queen], which lets her summon ice dragons. So, which stones does Shizuka need to copy this authority?

The answer should sound obvious. Ice is solid water, so obviously it is the water stone, right?

Nope, you're wrong.

Okay then, this can be understood. There's also the dragon aspect, and as we all know earth goddesses and dragons are connected. The answer has to be Earth and Water, right?

Nope, wrong again.

Then what is the correct answer?

Metal and Wood.

Metal and Wood?

Yep, Metal and wood. Ice falls under metal, not water, and draconic deities are mainly covered by wood, not earth (though the latter also has some connections).

So where does Luo Hao's [Hopeless Forest], which allows her to summon man-eating flowers over a massive area, go?

Wood, right?

Nope, flowers are part of Fire, not Wood.

John Pluto Smith's Jaguar transformation, which grants super speed at the cost of all artificial light. Would that be fire, or perhaps nature or earth?

Again wrong, creation of a Jaguar falls under metal.

If I want I can give examples of this all day. So if Shizuka seems to make something from a totally wrong element, like that example where she made tea with the [Steel] stone, trust me when I say that I researched it thoroughly. Here is a list with the types of powers each stone actually grants:

Fire: fire, light, food, sun, oil, souls, heat, flowers, birds, heart, love, passion, taste, and red tea.

Water: water, storms, lightning, thunder, steam, mud, darkness, defensive buffs, shelled beasts, fear and black tea.

Earth: earth, rock, carbon, energy, smoke, spirit, gravity, earthquakes, offensive buffs, dragons, pleasure, humanity and yellow tea.

Wood: wood, life, health, poison, wind, air, sound, magic energy, thoughts, also dragons, sight and green tea.

Metal: metal, gemstones, glass, ether, milk, clouds, holy water, ice, snow, furred animals, speed buffs, rationality, smell and white tea.

As you can see many things are not what they seem. I had some trouble sorting this mess out, and so does Shizuka. The question is, can she use this division to her advantage in the upcoming battle?


	4. Arc 2: Of Knights and Fair Maidens

_18_ _th_ _of November, midday._

Standing atop one of the seaside cliffs of the Kanto region is a heretic god. A prepubescent girl with silver hair, wearing a Greek toga with golden arm and leg bracelets. Most recognize her as [Heretic Athena], the trinity goddess of darkness, earth and wisdom.

"Tsk, was one a step too tardy?" She snaps her tongue in disapproval, annoyed that her target left. Almost twenty days ago Athena lost in battle against the deity known as Lancelot du Lac, and the maidservant he protects managed to create a link between the goddess and the Holy Grail, that accursed desecrator of mother earth!

And now once again does the Grail prevent Athena's success. "Forsooth, 'tis the Holy Grail within one's body… Alerted the prey." The lingering divine presence is also connected to Guinevere herself, so she should be able to tell the exact location of the goddess. If Athena draws close then Guinevere will simply flee, again and again, no matter how often the goddess tries. "As long as this object remaineth in one's body, 'tis impossible to approach the descendant of its creator?"

It's an annoying curse, this grail. Revenge upon that duo will be almost impossible. And other than those two there is also her sworn prey, Kusanagi Godou. She will not let anyone else obtain her kill!

"Fufu. One had wished for a ripened opportunity, but the time for harvest hast arrived. One shall have a decisive showdown against Kusanagi Godou here."

First of all is the most important thing, her duel with Godou. If she loses, so be it, perhaps she could tell him about the newest threat afterwards. If she wins, then the next point on her agenda is exterminating Lancelot and sending his witch to the grave.

Athena starts to smile bravely. Her time is not abundant, and action shall have to be taken quickly. Her battle spirit is raised, and the waves around her respond by crashing even harder against the cliff.

"Superbly done, war god Lancelot. As befitted proper [Steel] inheriting the way of ancients. Desecrating one's immortality in such matter!" Genuine praise for an opponent, given where deserved. Athena too, while lacking the aspect of steel, still holds war as her domain. If she cannot recognize strategy and tactics she would dishonor her own name.

A few other tactics come up in her mind. Perhaps she could travel to the netherworld, and her life would not be sucked dry by the divine artifact in her body.

No, it is not an option. She is a goddess who transcended mortality, so death can be allowed as long as victory is achieved. The only fear she has it that she will leave earth without finishing her business.

Slay the two retainers of the sleeping king of the end.

Have a final, decisive duel with Kusanagi Godou.

If those two parameters are fulfilled, Athena would gladly lay her life away.

"One shall first defeat Kusanagi Godou, then Lancelot shall be vanquished. If this life lingereth still, justice shall be met on that maidservant, and vengeance brought to tha-"

Wait a moment, something is wrong about this situation. She senses it, faint traces of a Campione's presence. But it does not feel like her mortal enemy Godou. She goes over every single Godslayer she has felt:

The one who summoned her into this world, the Balkan devil who slew a myriad of gods? No, it isn't him.

The Italian king who slew her mortal enemies of steel? No, also incorrect.

The martial artist from China, the hidden queen, the black prince, the superhero; no, compared to the other kings this one only gives off a single "scent", as if he only slew a single deity.

It cannot be, an eighth king? Here, in Japan?

"Fufufu… Kusanagi Godou, our reunion will wait. 'twould seem that this one's defeat hast shifted to victory! " He old plans can be discarded. This is a new factor that can turn the tides. She is not like Ares, who would simply blindly rush at his enemies. No, strategy and deceit have always been weapons she relied on, so it is time to make a new strategy for the purpose of fulfilling Athena's desires!

Athena turns into a flock of owls, any traces of her body disappearing from the cliff, investigating the new ray of hope shining in front of her.

-x-

 _18_ _th_ _of November, evening._

Today Shizuka had the school festival, which surprisingly… kind of sucked. There's still the aftermath of that divine incident at Niseko, which resulted in a class that is completely unable to set up their own class project. Because her class was dismissed from their original activity Shizuka spent most of her time helping the tea club, dressed in a kimono for the sake of attracting visitors.

There were other things she was interested in, but the main problem was that there were no people left who could go with Shizuka to tour the campus. Her friends from class are still in no shape to go to such an event, and while she did promise to go with her brother he was forced to help someone in Kisarasu city _{1}_ , which according to Godou was "a lot of digging."

As a result Shizuka has mainly been doing work for her club until the end of the festival, until a long time after it became dark. Shizuka should be on her way home, but a call from home confirmed that both of the males in the family are not there. Godou is still on the other side of Tokyo Bay while Ichirou decided to reconcile with an old rival of his.

In other words, tonight is "do whatever you want for dinner" night. Walking through the streets of Bunkyo ward Shizuka tries to decide what to eat for dinner. It will certainly be away from home, if a chance exists not to expend work on household matters like this then all members of the family will take it with both hands.

When alone there's no need to eat overly extravagant, a simple fast-food restaurant will do. But which one should she choose? Go traditional with a sushi or ramen stand, or perhaps one of the western food chains? Maybe go for something in-between like MOS Burger?

Oh wait, there's also this Chinese restaurant Shizuka has some connections with. Their food is a bit on the spicy side, but the steamed pork buns they make are quite good.

Sadly enough Shizuka will never arrive at the restaurant, for on the way there she is rudely interrupted:

Even through it is dark outside there should be enough lights left on the streets to allow normal visibility. This is darkness in which a normal person should barely be able to see, but for some reason none of the other people around Shizuka seem to notice, just like they fail to recognize the abnormal person standing some meters away from her:

A young girl of Shizuka's age, perhaps even younger, but not giving off any sense of childishness. She seems haughty, arrogant even. Not misplaced arrogance, what you see in children and fools, but arrogance stemming from knowledge about oneself and the others, knowing perfectly well that she herself is unmatched.

Adrenaline starts pumping, and the magical power in Shizuka's body is raised. All these are signs pointing out that this girl in front of her is a goddess.

"Fu… unbelievable. Were one not confirming your existence claims of an eight king would be dismissed as ridicule. Pray tell, what is thine name?"

"Kusanagi Shizuka." Her stance on guard, Shizuka summons the stone of fire to her side in response to possible sudden attack. "So what is a heretic goddess like you doing here in the first place?"

The goddess quirks her eyebrow upon hearing Shizuka's name. Kusanagi, the same name as her sworn enemy. While it is not uncommon in myth for heroes to be sib- or niblings, it is practically unheard of for Campione to have any relation by blood. Even a goddess as great as her has never heard of something like that. But if they are family… then perhaps their nature is the same as well, the perfect opening for an exploit.

"Stand down, Kusanagi Shizuka. 'tis not for battle that one is roaming this land. Grave tidings will be disclosed, as there are enemies at large."

Shizuka is listening, but she does not truly trust this goddess yet. After all, one common fact is that gods and godslayers, whatever may be, are still enemies. The goddess notices this, and smirks slightly. At least this king is less full of holes compared to her eternal enemy.

"This one's name is Athena, the great goddess ruling over earth, darkness and wisdom. 'twould be natural for thee to declare thyself as this one's opponent, but such battle would only advance the agenda of a greater foe."

"So, who is this great enemy you're talking about, Athena?"

"Slumbering in yonder bay is the strongest steel, the man known as the [King who Manifests at the End of Eras]. 'twould be no problem of mine were he to keep slumbering, but his retainer and maidservant are determined to awake their lord."

"So what is the reason you are telling me all this? Surely it isn't because you want to be nice and helpful to those who slay your kin?"

"Indeed, the one known as Athena is not a goddess who would side with anyone unless for one's own behoof. One fights here solely for revenge, wishing merely the expiry of the war god."

"Hah…" Yeah, this goddess is as neutral as can be, acting just like the goddess Shizuka slew. The only difference is that this time the goals of both goddess and godslayer align instead of oppose. "I'm also opposed to the resurrection of that god, albeit for entirely different reasons. Of course, if you plan to cause any more havoc here in Japan afterwards you'll have to deal with me."

Athena smiles, realizing that her plan of alliance has just been a success. Sure, it may be with the youngest of these devil kings, but age is not a reason to call a king weak, for there are no weak kings.

"Then this one will hereupon swear that she will swiftly depart after victory without causing pandemonium, yet one needs time to close a few loose ends. One can grant all other privileges if this boon is given."

"If you won't cause any harm to the humans living here then I guess you can stay for a day or two." The tension hanging between god and godslayer decreases as the alliance is made. Shizuka stands down, and while the stone is still by her side just in case Athena plans to betray her she is not anymore in a stance ready for battle. Athena too looks slightly less tense, also seeming to accept this temporary cooperation.

"So did you already make a plan of attack, Athena? I doubt that someone known as the goddess of wisdom would simply charge the enemy."

"True, one should not be compared to Ares or that accursed retainer. Kusanagi Shizuka, when didst one say that the only ally is thee? Whilst that person is a ruffian of the highest caliber, one does not believe that he would decline this offer." Athena looks upwards, as if the very sky holds what she wants to point out as her ally. "Prince of black lightning! Dost thou not want revenge upon thy enemy? Dost thou not want to obtain that grail? For the sake of these goals, wouldst thee not be willing to form an alliance with this one?"

"As much as I dislike such commands I can't say that I'm uninterested in Guinevere's demise." Thunder strikes the ground, and where once lightning struck now stands a tall and slender man with quite the handsome face. The suit he wears, along with his proper air, does give off the feeling of a prince. "Of course, I've no interest in following orders of someone else, be it from a goddess like you, nor from the latest addition to my fellow peers."

From the way he speaks to the magic energy Shizuka perceives, this guy is clearly a Campione. In other words, another troublemaker who entered Japan. "So why does our mister fantastic feel himself too great to listen to others?"

"Of course I do listen to others when they make good points." Alec retorts, clearly not understanding why Shizuka had to make such a sarcastic remark. "The problem is that other than me all Campione are knuckleheaded ruffians, and the deities lose all sense of strategy due to their exceptional arrogance. What we need is a tactician, and since I doubt that you're any different than the rest I'm the only one here with a mind for strategy."

Shizuka protests immediately against those words, claiming that it is outright discriminating. Athena on the other hand simply gives a curt smile as she speaks her words of wisdom:

"Fufu… thou speaks a valid truth, in times of war an army needs to follow the heed of a commander. However, one does not simply proclaim oneself wiser than the goddess of war and strategy, nobleman of lightning speed."

"Then show me your knowledge, goddess of wisdom. Simply from a glance at that authority of… miss Kusanagi here" Really, having two kings with the same surname makes differentiating between the two slightly more difficult. "I can determine the goddess she slew. Can you do the same, Athena?"

The fact that Alec already talks about a goddess means that he probably knows the deity Shizuka defeated. How he knows is a riddle that Shizuka probably will not figure out.

"[Stone]… no, [Fire]… but not [Sun], yet still akin." Athena racks her brain out, trying to find a solution. "A set, multiple stones, so multiple elements?" Possibilities come and go, but the deity it belongs to cannot be figured out this easily. Compared to the knowledge she had when she grasped Kusanagi Godou's [Persian Warlord] this is barely nothing.

Still so much left, still so much left. Purely going by its characteristics there's no way to safely determine the exact deity it originated from. "Though one is ascertained that some manner of trickery has been used by thee this goddess cannot determine the origin of this power like thou didst."

Athena is correct. The only reason Alexandre know the identity of a goddess he has never seen is because of pure luck. "Really, Athena? You cannot grasp that goddess' identity? Kusanagi Shizuka, can you confirm my victory by saying that the goddess you have slain is Nu Wa?"

It's without doubt Nu Wa. Around the time Voban became a Campione there descended a god in China under the name of Nu Wa. The goddess who once held territories from Tibet to Japan entered the world and was eventually slain in battle. However, a small part of herself remained on earth in the form of a small white pebble. This treasure was stolen by Britain's thief, who can now safely theorize that this stone probably used to be a shard of the [Heavenly Stone of Wood].

"It's possible." Shizuka can't really accept or deny this remark, though she still seems annoyed that she was called a ruffian. "That goddess never gave me her name, although she is a mother earth goddess from China."

"Yes, 'tis the five stones that hold up heaven!" Athena gets the final revelation that proves that Nu Wa is the slain goddess. "Celestial power with origins of earth! Thou were correct, black prince! Outwitting this goddess through trickery, how befitting of a devil king!"

The fourth king doesn't even register the somewhat snide praise, while Shizuka considers it a bit of bad taste.

"So are you finally willing to listen, Athena?"

Athena nods in agreement, while Shizuka returns to the topic of her being called a ruffian: "Well I'm not. It's hard to agree with someone who calls you a ruffian on sight."

"With two tyrants, a hypocrite, a childish superhero and two absolute morons I don't really expect much better. But sure, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now. Don't waste this opportunity."

"Tsk." Shizuka really doesn't like this guy, though his description of the rest doesn't spell much good for any future encounters. "Fine then, I guess I'll give you the same for now. Now get back to your plan."

"Hmph. I don't need you to tell me that." And as expected, Alexandre screwed up with the females. Surprisingly it's not quite as bad as usual. Perhaps today is his lucky day, or is there something special about this newest king?

In reality, it's mainly because Gascoigne has the exact opposite luck of women that Godou has… which means that Shizuka is perhaps the only woman Gascoigne can ever score with.

If Doni would see this couple he would probably ship it. Godou would obviously protest loudly. Gascoigne ignores this all and decides to spend time on more important matters, like sharing his plan with the rest, thus beginning this strategy meeting between the three divinely empowered beings.

-x-

 _18_ _th_ _of November, late evening._

Clairvoyance.

If one would ask someone completely unrelated to the world of magic the meaning of this word, they would probably answer along the lines of "Isn't that some kind of fake superhuman ability of those who call themselves ESP users?" While it is indeed true that it is often associated with the occult it's real use is much less complicated.

Meaning "clear vision" in French, Clairvoyance is a type of magic that allows one to see faraway events happening as if they are close by.

The most famous and powerful one is [Witch Eye], a witchcraft that has a range of over twenty kilometers and doesn't require direct line of sight between target and user. It's only weakness is that the magic is located close to the target, allowing a perceptive person to notice the spell and possibly try to neutralize it.

For Guinevere that weakness is why she cannot use that spell now, because secrecy is of utmost importance. Thus she uses [Sight], hermetic magic granted by Cetan _{2}_ that greatly increases one's eyesight, even in the current darkness of the night.

Right now she is standing on the beach of Koto Ward, the most industrial one among all water-bordering special wards of Tokyo. From here she has a perfect view of the excavation site:

20 people are there, fourteen of them magic users. Most of them will not be a problem to defeat, but there is this one girl who might be problematic. As that girl is capable of divine possession she is someone even Guinevere will have trouble defeating. It would be disrespectful and unneeded to bring out Lancelot for what amounts to ants in the eye of a deity. The only option is to bide her time, letting her plan involving Athena develop.

Athena will have a decisive duel with Kusanagi Godou. Of course, that's the perfect opportunity to use Godou as a pawn so that the holy grail can absorb Athena's energy. The human wielding divine possession will follow her lord, leaving the shrine wide open for thieves, an opening that Guinevere will use. After Athena is slain and the halberd is obtained the floating island can resurface, allowing the king who manifests at the end of eras, the predecessor of Arthur Pendragon, to be awakened once more!

Suddenly the sound of metal clashing with metal vibrates through the air. What was that sound?

Standing there is Lancelot in full armor, his lance drawn after being used to swipe away some bullet-like object. That projectile lands harmlessly on the sand, allowing Guinevere to see just who or what caused this.

An old-fashioned ballpoint fountain pen, reinforced with some sort of authority. The exact nature of that divine power can be easily identified, as among the gods and godslayers there is only one man gaudy enough to attack with a godspeed infused writing device.

"Greetings, Alexandre-sama. Guinevere did not expect you to interfere in this event so early, an action completely unbefitting your style." Getting in at the last moment, taking what he wants, and then escaping again like he never existed in the first place. Those who know Britain's king know how troublesome he is in that regard. Entering like he is some sort of warrior like this goes completely against his own code.

"Perhaps, but you sneaking around scheming little plans perfectly fits your personality." Yes, his skill at handing women is still the polar opposite of Kusanagi Godou. "However, if one does not eventually take action you'll find yourself outmaneuvered by your enemy. With the grail inside of Athena's body, your only protection against me is that knight protecting you."

"This knight finds your appearance odd, Gascoigne." Lancelot watches this opponent with suspicion, clearly disbelieving what he says. "Foolishly charging against this knight, giving up all your advantages in battle because the beloved child cannot access the grail? While one would be interested in facing you in a head-on charge, the likes of you only accept after rigging the battlefield in your favor."

"Indeed, Alexandre-sama, you are not the type to head straight into the fight unlike your brethren. Could it be, your highness arrived here not for battle, but to accept the offer of cooperation Guinevere made eight years ago?" Guinevere adds with a tease.

"Spare me your jokes, Guinevere." Alec replied in a cold manner. "Even I can perform an ungentlemanly act like this if the time for it is right."

"Oh my… Alexandre-sama, you do know that these words can only be spoken by a gentleman? I think that a common thief like you should repent for saying such unfitting words."

"Nonsense." Alec does not need to bother with such a petty (but true) insult. "Look who is talking, a child acting like she is all grown up. If anyone here lacks class then it is certainly you, Guinevere."

"Perhaps a child, yes, but compared to one who is not mature even as an adult I, Guinevere, would say that I am the more stylish one."

"I do not believe that stylish is a word that gives an apt description of you, with those outdated clothes and speech of yours." And thus this talk between two mortal enemies ends like it usually does: A slurry of insults fired at one another, as if they are two children squabbling it out.

Eventually it is Lancelot who breaks the duo apart. "Beloved child, while watching you two talk it out is quite amusing to hear, one believes that our opponent here is stalling for time." Alec doesn't lose his poker face, not confirming or denying those words. Guinevere does not care, for she never doubts the words of her knight.

"Indeed you are correct, Sir Knight. It would not be an uncommon tactic for him, waiting to summon something like those [Furies] of his. While not our original plan, it cannot hurt to strike down an enemy when an opening is presented."

Lancelot steps up while Guinevere backs down. "Gascoigne, one will take your appearance here as a direct challenge to battle. Very well, this knight accepts your challenge!" And with that Lancelot charges at his enemy.

As the owner of the [Eye of the Mind] combined with phenomenal lancing skills even dealing with something like godspeed is no problem. However, Lancelot does not manage to hit the devil king. Not because of particular powers on that Campione's side, it's because Gascoigne only tries to attack Guinevere with fatal attacks.

"Kuh, one should have expected you to go for dirty tricks like that!" Lancelot prevents the death of his companion each time, losing his chance to attack Alec.

"Dirty tricks?" Alexandre speaks out as if those words ae completely foreign to him. "I'm simply trying to lessen the amount of fighting I have to do. If Guinevere dies then your mission is over, white knight. You will stop searching for the [King of the End] and rampage in this land. When that happens I will simply let the godslayer of this country take care of you."

"Then Guinevere will assume that you only said that to force me from the battlefield, did you not, Alexandre-sama?" The witch queen knows her enemy for long enough now to understand the true meaning behind his words. "Very well then, black prince, I will do as you say. Sir knight, Guinevere shall leave this battle to you. Please come back victorious." The witch queen flees from the battlefield, leaving the prince and knight so they can duel one another. She moves to the north-east, to the most eastern ward named Edowara.

She still thinks about reasons for why that cautious devil king decided to suddenly launch an attack. Many options go through her head, but in the end there is another fact that determines the exact reason:

"The grail is moving to the battlefield? Does Athena plan… no, it's obvious now, to think that such a simple strategy was chosen, who would've thought?"

Teaming up. Perhaps the oldest trick in the book, it hasn't lost any of its effectiveness. Gascoigne locks down Lancelot, and Athena comes in as the pincer attack. For the sake of defeating Guinevere and Lancelot their enemies have joined forces.

"Far too foolish, Alexandre! Far too foolish, Athena!" Did they really think Guinevere did not think of such a plan? Of course, there is danger in facing multiple opponents, but the odds are still quite nicely in her favor. There is still a link between divine lance Excalibur and the grail, making Athena just an usable energy source. And while Alec is dangerous, he did not have time to set up his multi-layered traps on Lancelot's battlefield of choice.

In other words, this is like two rooks against a queen, with both sides being around equal strength. However, there are more things that seem to stand in Guinevere's favor. The bond between Athena and Gascoigne is slim at best, knowing how fantastic the latter's luck is with women. If these two are left alone for a few minutes they would probably start fighting each other.

And most importantly, who is protecting wildcard Kusanagi Godou? If he gets told that Athena is wreaking havoc in Tokyo then an alliance between Lancelot and Godou is guaranteed. Would we look at that battle, then her side definitely has the upper hand.

Even better yet, because Kusanagi Godou will leave the battlefield so too will the surveillance of the heavenly reverse halberd, giving Guinevere the perfect chance to steal it.

"Hmm… sir Knight, Guinevere shall leave to obtain the seventh king as an ally. Please hold on for a while longer, and the resurrection of our lord will be within reach!"

Just as Guinevere wants to leave she hears a voice calling out to her: "Before you go and speak with the seventh king, how about you have a talk with the eight king first?"

There, from the direction of the voice, a human girl who looks the same age as Guinevere. Short brown hair, ordinary clothes, and gives off the power of… an…

No.

No!

Nononononono!

"An eighth? An eighth?!" Of all the stupid, absurd, dumb, asinine, foolish, insane, preposterous, moronic things that could've ruined Guinevere's plans, this is what happens?! In a timespan of less than a month a new king was born, and in Japan of all places! There are no words capable of describing this ridicule!

Guinevere quickly realizes her anger, and subdues it for the sake of her own goals. "My apologies for the sudden outburst, your majesty. I, Guinevere, offers her congratulations to the newest king. It saddens me to say that I am afraid our joy will have to be cut short, as another god and godslayer are wreaking havoc in this city. My loyal guardian knight is keeping them at bay, but he might get overwhelmed at any moment. Guinevere beseechs you to stop these villains from ruining your country!"

"So you want me to stop them so you can revive the [King of the End]?" Uh oh… she is aware of Guinevere's plans… "Sorry, but I'm not interested in waking up sleeping gods, and rather put a stop to your ambition."…and to make matters worse this newest king decides to oppose the followers of the strongest steel.

"Tsk." Guinevere is angered by this development. The existence of this evil king is the reason that everything went wrong! However, such anger cannot be shown to the enemy. "Very well then, your highness. Guinevere know when she is outmatched, so she will retreat in loss. My final request will be that you allow the two of us to retreat without harm."

Yes, there is no reason to stay here. Fall back, regroup, and devise a new plan that includes the changed factors.

"Of course, I do not plan to use my powers against someone who is neither god nor godslayer, and I'm also not interested in causing unnecessary strife." Good, she is another moronic king who does not realize the danger. "But if I let you go now you will simply try to awaken that god another time."

Shit, she possesses at least some form of strategic sense! "Your highness, how would one sneak unnoticed through a country protected by two kings? It is impossible for me to reach my lord with two guards of your caliber!"

"Then if it is impossible for you, give up." Shizuka's words seem to contain a glimmer of hope, but it all comes down wither next sentence: "There's magic in this world that can force even kings and deities to hold their oath. Make such a pact with me. Swear to never meddle with the resurrection of your lord, and I will protect you from all harm. Not even Gascoigne will lay a finger on you. Live a happy and ordinary life, free of the sorrows of the past."

To Shizuka this sounds reasonable. She has no interest in killing, so if a peaceful solution like this can work then she will avoid both current and future combat.

Guinevere on the other hand thinks the exact opposite. That is impossible. Absolutely impossible. There is nothing to live for other than reviving that devil-slaying god. Such an existence would be living hell, an eternal hell on earth! Constantly reviving but never able to fulfill her desires. However, she does not want to give up. That is also absolutely impossible.

"Guinevere will have to accept your terms. Pray tell, how do you want to make such a pact, because that has never been a skill in my repertoire." The first step that needs to be taken is to stall for time, hoping that Lancelot can quickly protect her.

"I'm honestly not that knowledgeable about these kind of rituals, but I'm certain that my friends from the History Compilation Committee do know how such a ritual can be performed. If I make a call here I'm certain that they're willing to help me with this."

This is both good and bad for the divine ancestor. If things go right then Guinevere has at least an hour or so before she has to make her oath, giving Lancelot enough time to rescue the maiden just like he did against Maleagant _{3}_.

She tells the story to her knight, and gives respectful advice about how they need to create a turnabout: The grail must be activated for the sake of draining Athena's energy. Then the divine lance must be used to scatter her ally. After that Lancelot must return to Guinevere and protect her from harm.

But the knight's response is not good. No golden light fills the sky, proof of her success. No, the report that Lancelot brings back is the opposite:

"It would seem that our foes managed to form a strategy against our trump card. The connection between grail and lance is sealed. Unless the cause is destroyed one will be unable to wield this weapon freely."

Shizuka looks at Guinevere's face, reading her emotions to get some understanding of what her opponent is doing. If what Athena claims is true then the reason for this is probably pretty simple. "I'm afraid that the grail is unusable for the moment. I put a boundary between the grail and this world, so that won't work anymore." The goddess Shizuka slew is Nu Wa, the one who keeps heaven and earth separated by using the four legs of the great turtle. Separating something like this can be done quite easily by using part of the power of [Water]. But that is not all Shizuka sees: "But you never had any intention of following my plans, did you? The only reason you accepted my offer is because you wanted to stall for time."

Oh snap… busted. "Correct. I could never accept such offer, for it goes against everything I stand for. My only purpose is to resurrect my beloved lord. There is nothing else in life besides him, and making said oath is akin to condemning myself in eternal hell." There's no denying that this king is of the more intelligent kind like her eternal enemy, and bluffs don't seem to work anymore. In that case, face the enemy with dignity. "I, Guinevere, will not betray the love she holds for her king!"

"The grip of love, huh?" That emotion only seems to make Shizuka's live more and more difficult. "I'm sorry, Guinevere, but all that is left for you is to fight me. If the two of us fight… you should already know the outcome of such battle."

No escape routes left. No cavalry coming to save Guinevere. In other words this is a complete, absolute defeat for her. Certain victory for this young king… Except for one thing; one mistake that the godslayer made:

"Yes, Guinevere knows how such a battle would end, but there is one mistake you made. While it is true that I cannot even hope to defeat you as I am now, were I to sacrifice my immortality to the [Seal of Snakes and Dragons] even someone like me can defeat a fledgling Campione like you!"

Do not press a desperate foe too hard _{4}_.

-x-

This is irking. Lancelot does not like this situation at all. "The link between Excalibur and holy grail has been sealed, and the beloved child has been forced to turn to the [Seal of Snakes and Dragons]. Were this knight a god of wisdom like Athena this crisis could've been averted. However, one only knows to foolishly charge at the enemy, so strategic loss was unpreventable." Even though he is fully aware that he was just dealt a heavy blow his tone is still jolly, as if what just happened does not matter at all.

The knight charges at his foe, forcing the enemy to go on the defensive. The problem is that Lancelot can never charge at both his foes at the same time, the two allies always staying on the opposite side of the other. If Lancelot charges at Gascoigne then Athena will strike the white knight with stone arrowheads. If he charges at Athena then Gascoigne's godspeed cannot be prevented with normal ease.

The problem itself is simple: Either Lancelot's side has too little members, or there are too many enemies. The latter cannot be changed that easily with the way Lancelot is fighting now. The former, on the other hand…

Lancelot gallops away into the sky, so high that it's like he is but a speck. With only the light of the moon falling on Lancelot it is almost impossible to see him, only the enhanced senses of a godslayer and the traits of a goddess of darkness allow Lancelot's opponents to keep track of him.

Both Athena and Gascoigne know that Lancelot is planning something, but are not willing to stop it. Even with his usurped authorities Gascoigne cannot form a successful attack that high, and while Athena does have the power of flight entering Lancelot's territory alone is simply foolish.

The duo stares at the sky, where the white speck turns into a curtain of grey that is blocking out the moon.

"A thundercloud?" Gascoinge wonders aloud as he tries to perceive what's behind this new tactic of his enemy. "No, that's not it…"

"…that war god summoned his army!" Athena finishes, realizing just what Lancelot has done.

That is indeed what Lancelot had done upon reaching the summit of the sky. He manifested his bow and arrows and threw them to his sides. Both the bow to his left and the arrows to his right started to shatter into pieces, and those pieces into more fragments, continuing on and on like that for a short while.

"An order to the heroes who follow this knight on his path. Come out, be reborn, and enter this battle as reinforcements. For the sake of slaying king and deity we shall charge forward. Undoubting, unrelenting, never turning back! Go forward, and crush what stands in our way!"

After finishing the words of power the remnants of the bow and arrows stopped shattering, now taking on the shape of slightly more than two hundred knights, each clad in gray armor and saddled on an equally grey horse.

What the purpose is of these knights becomes obvious after Lancelot speaks only a single word: "Charge!" Upon hearing the order the army of grey descends, ready to attack their targets.

Faster and faster, until it looks like a shower of meteors, their power increasing with every meter they move down. When Lancelot did this charge alone back in Europe it had enough power to create a crater more than a mile wide. Now backed up by an army, how big will the catastrophe for Tokyo be?

A third on the way down the group splits in two. Lancelot, leading around a third of the troops, alters its course slightly so he is on the path to the prince of lightning. The other knights are aiming for the queen of darkness, trying to make their [Steel] slay [Earth] once more.

While the troops targeting Athena attack randomly and in disorder, those led by Lancelot take up formation for the sake of slaying Gascoigne. Of course, this is all according to plan for the white war god. If one were to compare the defenses of these two combatants then the dark queen relies on the immortality of earth and her own innate power to block the attacks of her opponents, while the black prince focuses on trapping his enemies in situations they cannot escape from, and if that fails evade with his godspeed. Lancelot is not trapped, so if that speed can be negated somehow then killing that Campione is like shooting fish in a barrel!

Then there is Athena who blocks through pure force, which can be exemplified with her famous shield [Aegis]. She will face the attack head on and negate it through her own power. In other words, tactics like that are meaningless in a battle of power. The only thing that will help to increase the chances of killing that goddess is to increase the amount of knights aiming for her life!

The majority of the knights charge to slay Athena, and the minority follow Lancelot, forming a net around Gascoigne to trap and kill him.

Athena and Gascoigne realize the peril they are in, that this attack is well thought out by their enemy. But does that mean that this attack is enough to slay them?

No, of course not.

Unbeknownst to one another both of them give a small smirk, as they have made up their plan to deflect and defeat this attack. Yes, defeating Lancelot in this situation is difficult but possible.

Their mouths open, each speaking the sacred words of their next authority…

-x-

What stands there in front of Shizuka is not human anymore: Silvery-white scales; Large white wings; A tail covered in sharp fins; Claws on all four limbs, sharp enough to decapitate even the gods; A reptilian head that does not hold any mercy; For the sake of slaying the youngest king, Guinevere has taken on the form of a white dragon!

For that purpose, along with reviving her lord, Guinevere has forfeited her life to temporarily regain her lost divinity. Thus, this will be the first and last battle between Shizuka and Guinevere. Even if Guinevere wins, her death will follow close by.

However, that doesn't matter. The path to resurrecting the [King of the End] is still open. First slay this youngest king, destroying her hold over the Holy Grail; Then find Kusanagi Godou for the sake of using him against Athena; Activate the path to the grail for the sake of draining Athena; Let Lancelot use divine spear Excalibur to slay its natural enemy, the godslayers in this country; With Guinevere's last powers she must obtain the heavenly reverse halberd; Use the halberd to summon the island containing the sleeping king, and the last step is waking him up.

Yes, bringing about a new era is still possible! For his sake Guinevere starts her offense. The wings on her back spread, flapping loudly. But unlike what one expects from dragons this does not make Guinevere soar in the sky. Instead a vortex of wind forms around Guinevere, quickly turning into a cyclone. Violent winds sweep through the neighborhood, uprooting trees and blowing away roof tiles from the nearby houses.

The winds that fly around Shizuka are not strong enough to harm her, but that is not the purpose of these winds. These carry a curse strong enough to even affect Campione.

"Stopping me from moving, Guinevere?" As if there are iron chains covering Shizuka's entire body, preventing her from making any form of motion. Shizuka could perhaps move if she focuses all the magic energy on her own body, dispelling the curse… but that would cost her her entire focus, preventing her from using any authorities.

"Of course, Godslayer!" The dragon answers, still with Guinevere's original voice. "As most kings are slippery bastards who wade through even the most powerful attacks, stopping them in their tracks is the most effective way of dealing with them." Power gathers in Guinevere's mouth, preparing herself for a deathly breath of doom. "Now hold still and I will make your death painless."

"As if I've any intention of dying here!" The stone of fire is still by Shizuka's side. What she needs now is something that can offer both mobility and offense; A tool to evade and a weapon to attack. In other words, a powerful mount.

The stone she holds is [Fire]. It is associated with all avian animals, allowing her to summon all kinds of divine birds. Combining the elements of fire and bird…

There's obviously only one beast that comes to the imagination.

"Guardian of kings, ruler of birds! Your name is Feng Huang!" Shizuka creates the spell for her intended summon, preparing a powerful beast to her side: "Protector of the south, wielder of the vermillion flames! Your name is Suzaku! Immortal bird who rises from his ashes, the absolute symbol of renewal! Your name is Phoenix!"

The ground underneath Shizuka first starts to grow black like ash, before becoming like searing flames. Unlike normal flames these do not hurt Shizuka, feeling more like the comforting warmth of a hearth. Suddenly a large bird appears from underneath Shizuka, big enough that she gets automatically mounted. The bird takes her high in the sky, and for good reason: Where Shizuka just stood is suddenly attacked by a massive frozen beam of death.

The bird and fire have always been a famous combination, with many countries all having a different take on it: From Japan's Suzaku, to China's Feng Huang, or Europe's Phoenix, Egypt's Bennu, Vietnam's Phung, Persia's Simorgh and Russia's aptly named firebird. While there are some slight differences between each incarnation, they are all rulers of the sky who manipulate soaring flames. This king of birds will not be stopped by some measly constraining winds, and since Shizuka is riding him she is also able to move around freely.

And that is not the only advantage Shizuka has. As Shizuka correctly deduced these wings of Guinevere, while capable of creating a vortex, are not able to lift a dragon's massive body weight. While the serpent is stuck to move in two dimensions on the ground Shizuka can move freely in all dimensions!

"So that is your authority? Guinevere sees that that bird of yours is a powerful divine beast, but do not think that your little pet is invincible!" The bird is resistant to wind, and fire is obviously out of the question. It flies too high to be attacked with a physical attack, so that leaves only one weapon for the dragon: "That firebird of yours is famous for rising from its own ashes, being a perfect immortal. However, what would happen if I completely freeze him over? Wouldn't he drop to the ground like a stone?"

Guinevere charges her ice beam again, trying to hit the flying creature. Shizuka does not want to get hit by that, having seen how the previous beam destroyed an entire living block. Another problem is that even a single hit from that beam, even as a scratch, might prove fatal.

The bird she is riding cannot be summoned by anyone else, because it is an amalgamation of several different deities and beasts. The only overlap is that it is a bird who can manipulate fire, so the other unique abilities are much less developed, including the bird's resurrection. Perhaps it has some regeneration, but Shizuka doubts that it can actually recover from being encased in ice.

The first beam fires, but Shizuka and the bird completely evade it. Getting hit even once is fatal, so dodging is of the highest priority. The second highest is to destroy the dragon, so the firebird is ordered to attack in between the beams of ice. Fireballs form under the phoenix' wings, and they shoot out to hit Guinevere.

Perfect hit! All of them landed! Guinevere didn't even try to dodge!

…

And that is because Guinevere had no reason to dodge. The fire, while powerful, only managed to give small burn marks where they hit.

"No effect, huh?" Shizuka asks herself aloud as she looks at the nearly unharmed form of her opponent. Did she make a mistake? Her authority has a limited amount of energy to work with, so creating a perfect being is impossible. Did she focus too much on evasion, causing the bird's attack power to drop?

"Is that all, godslayer? I, Guinevere expected something more powerful from the likes of you! It seems that this is your limit!" Guinevere continues to fire her breaths of ice, still trying to hit her opponent. Shizuka is forced to dodge more, forced to stay on the defensive.

"Limit? I'll just have to hit harder next time!" Bigger fireballs are shot, but still Guinevere does not want to dodge Shizuka's attacks, the attack only causing slightly bigger burns.

No, it's not that she does not want to dodge. If possible, even minor attacks should be evaded if taking them head-on gives no advantage. It's that Guinevere traded in all her reflexive speed and dodging capabilities for pure defensive power!

As the battle stands now Shizuka has no effective way to attack Guinevere, her body still paralyzed by the cursed winds and her mount unable to do any form of effective damage against Guinevere. On the other hand, Guinevere is not fast enough to land a hit on the ruler of the skies, making both sides unable to destroy their enemy.

Is this what they call a stalemate?

-x-

The army of grey knights rapidly descends upon Alexandre and Athena, but they both have a way of dealing with this menace:

"Temporary deaths. Stone coffins. Such is also the ancient mother's power. Knights of the war god, rememberest thy origin as lifeless metal!" Athena suddenly grows taller, going from a prepubescent girl to a woman of eighteen years of age. At the same time her eyes turn darker than the night, darker than the color black itself.

Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Petrify. Whatever stands in the way of the immortal queen will be turned to stone. The vanguard of the knights aimed at her turn rigid immediately, turning them from brave warriors into mere stone projectiles. The magic from their bodies leave, and what is left is not strong enough to harm the ruler of the night.

The line behind these knights become stone as well, becoming like tiny meteors that will not harm Athena. The row behind them too stop living for they are also struck by this curse.

However, every knight behind them stay in perfect shape, as if not hit by the curse at all!

Of the 140 knights send after Athena at least 50 have been turned into harmless stone, but their sacrifice is not in vain. Using the fallen knights as shields to guard against these mystic eyes the remaining galloping warriors manage to evade being petrified!

"Kuh! 'tis to be expected, war god Lancelot, thy servants are as foolhardy as thyself, yet wise on the fields of war! But dost not underestimate this queen, for this one is not done yet!" [Curse of Petrification] managed to clean up around a third of the knights. Another spell needs to be used to blunt the attacks of these raging knights. [Death] will not work, for these knights cannot be considered alive to begin with;

Athena goes past all of her authorities, but there is nothing that can wipe out these knight easily. There is only one conclusion left:

If Athena cannot deal with them, then she has to let them attack. What needs to be changed is not the power of the attack facing her, but the target of these knights!

"Under the epithet of Athena Aethyia one declares her victory over the waters. Under the epithet of Athena Polias one declares her victory over Poseidon. Come, compass one and obeyest thy queen!"

Divine words for an authority not often used by Athena. The trinity goddess quickly moves in a single leap to the sea, and within a second she stands still on the waves, at least a hundred meters out of the coastline. Of course, this level of evasion is not enough. The knights act like homing missiles, slightly altering their course to strike where Athena has repositioned herself.

"One shall not falter before the advance of my enemies. Come, knights of steel. Athena hereby swears, thou shalt not bring one harm!"

A shied of darkness forms, manifesting itself as the legendary [Aegis]. The most famous of shields, and without doubt powerful in its own right.

Holding up the shield in front of her enemies Athena intends to block all strikes from this army.

The army stays hidden behind the statues of their petrified brethren, not looking at what is ahead. Striking Athena is their intention, destroying everything in her surroundings.

The knights strike, but those aimed at Athena do not break through. Athena's shield does not bow down before these warriors.

But does it matter?

Athena made a fatal mistake: She only protected herself, while the descend of these warriors can destroy the whole area! The knight slam into the water, expecting to cause a massive explosion…

Only to pierce right through it.

Normally falling from such height on water is the same as slamming into concrete, and would release all of the energy held within the knights. But this, it is as if there is no water at all, as if the water has become air!

Athena understands, knowing perfectly well the trick she just performed. The only quality of this water she changed is the density of the water. Through magic all water around Athena is just as easily maneuverable as through air, causing the knights to continuously move downward until they hit the bottom of the sea. There they create a massive explosion that severely alters the landscape of the seafloor, much to the anger of all future marine biologists.

"Brave serpents, thy territory has been invaded. Acceptest thou this? Nay! Slaughter the trespassers, smite them with divine fury!" Turning the water around her back to normal Athena releases a tenfold of sea snakes in the water, each at least ten meters long. While the power of numbers is normally a key factor that should mean loss for the ten snakes against the eighty divers, terrain and movement advantages turn it into a slaughterfest in favor of Athena.

That just leaves ten knights for Athena to defeat. Athena summons a bow and arrows in her hands, ready to shoot them all down.

On the other side of the battle Gascoigne also made his plan to evade the sixty knights and Lancelot. Surprisingly enough it is a rather simple plan compared to Athena's attack, a tactic more expected from another of his peers.

"Fly through the water, swim in the sky! The eternally hidden queen, appear to my aid!"

The knights keep on descending, but their formation is rudely disrupted by a new monster:

A beautiful female with the lower body of a mermaid and white wings on her back. She stands about fifteen meters tall, and two spears are held in her hands. Instead of having her being part of some trap the giant slams into the descending knights, dislocating their formation and destroying any semblance of order.

With agile movement that female giant picks out the leader of the knights, the only one clad in white instead of gray.

"Uoooooh!" Lancelot lets out a shout of surprise, being pushed towards the middle of the bay. "Hoho… Gascoigne, you truly managed to take this knight by surprise, never did one expect you to challenge one in a battle of power!"

Yes, it's an unorthodox tactic nobody really saw coming, but it's surprisingly effective. Probably the only reason it works is that nobody but Alec himself expects him to use such a crude move.

Alec doesn't spill any words about the war god's words as he deals with the rest of the knights. Turning into his avatar of lightning he easily escapes the thirty or so knights who were not hindered by the authority he obtained from heretic Melusine. Since the remnants lack any form of teamwork destroying them one on one at godspeed is entirely possible, the defeated enemies falling down on the ground like harmless rubble. Eventually not a single knight manages to impact with ground or king, and with that Tokyo is saved… temporarily.

Ten… twelve… seventeen knights are left from the original sixty, these not being destroyed by the gigantic water spirit nor Alec's godspeed. Should be doable. Looking over at his ally he sees Athena facing even fewer enemies. It seems that all is going well for them.

Time to turn some knights into scrap metal.

-x-

The fight between Shizuka and Guinevere did not advance anywhere in the previous minutes. Guinevere still stands firmly on the ground while Shizuka and her firebird are flying fifty meters above the ground.

Guinevere tries to hit Shizuka, but not a single beam hits the godslayer riding her bird. The more energy she wastes on fighting and destroying the less she has left for waking her king up. If possible, killing her target quickly is the best solution.

Shizuka has the same type of problem: Her phoenix launched many attacks, trying to repeatedly strike the same area for increased damage, but the vortex of wind and the light movement of the dragon decrease her accuracy and prevent any significant damage to form on the dragon's body. Shizuka's time is even more limited than Guinevere: A divine beast like this one will only last for a few minutes, ten at most. Half of that time is already gone, and from what Shizuka feels the maximum time her bird has left is three minutes.

This would normally not be a problem, as Shizuka can normally switch to another stone and prepare another attack. However, as long as these cursed winds exist Shizuka cannot move and use authorities at the same time. Perhaps if she was well-versed in magic, and trained to the point that she can alter her flow of magic… perhaps then she could use only the bare minimum to escape this curse instead of being forced to let it all out. Since this isn't the case the battle must be finished quickly, or else Shizuka will certainly lose.

As Shizuka fires another volley of flames the dragon counters by shooting her beam of ice again. Fire and ice hit each other, creating a pool of water that for a brief moment hangs still in the air…

…and doesn't drop to the ground.

"Too bad, godslayer! While I may have transformed into a dragon of wind and ice, the element I'm most attuned to is that of water! Now water, Guinevere hereby decrees: become my blades and strike down the arrogant godslayer of the east!" Upon Guinevere's command the water transforms, its form mutating. The water splits into multiple orbs, each of these spheres elongating until they take the shape of a javelin. At least twenty of these weapons appear, and they are all aiming to strike down the godslayer.

Of course, while a powerful attack it is still only a high level form of mortal magic. The water would simply dissipate before piercing Shizuka. On the other hand, for the sake of slaying a divine beast this spell works perfectly, and without her mount this Campione is defenseless!

The phoenix tries to dodge, but to no avail: while most of the spears can be dodged three of them manage to puncture the left wing of the royal bird.

These wounds would be easily curable by the real phoenix, the king of regeneration. However, this is a fake running on a limited amount of energy. If Shizuka were to heal these wounds of her ride then the energy would run out even faster and the bird's remaining time would shorten dramatically.

The wound is going to be deadly. Even through Shizuka tries to make him do otherwise the bird cannot keep its altitude without dropping his master. Slowly they descend toward the ground, moving towards that dragon with sharp claws, razor teeth, a destructive tail, and many more close-ranged weapons of destruction. If she gets close to her opponent it will be an instant game over for the youngest king.

To make matters worse Guinevere doesn't bask in her victory like a supervillain you see in comic books, instead deciding that as long as her opponent is not dead yet it cannot hurt to continue firing beams of sheer cold at your enemy.

Just when Shizuka thought her luck couldn't get any worse her mount gets scratched by the dragon's breath, part of the right wing now being completely frozen in ice.

No, this bird cannot fulfill its function anymore. It has become too slow, too fragile to perform its task as Shizuka's divine beast. There's only one final task that this beast can do, before it will disappear from existence.

"For even immortal live shines the brightest right before its final death!" Final spell words for [Fire], a final act to end this play. The bird, which used to move at fast velocities, now hangs completely still directly above Guinevere. "The final spark that will blaze away all opponents!"

The bird transforms, no longer taking on the form of a majestic bird. Flames, pure flames, meant to be the final attack that annihilates the draconic witch queen. The flames shoot downwards, trying to consume that overgrown lizard whole.

"Hah, this final spark of yours is exactly that, king: a spark! These flames will not defeat me!" Of course, if the stone was used just like back in Niseko then the attack would be a lot more powerful, perhaps even strong enough to defeat Guinevere. But now, after most of its energy was used for the sake of maintaining the form of a phoenix? It is only natural that the energy of these flames is lower. "This is your end, godslayer! Perhaps you would've stood a chance if you were more experienced, but too bad! That moment will never come!"

The flames are not breaking through the skin of the dragon. In other words, the final attack of the firebird has failed. Shizuka's final attack has failed.

"And that's what you've gotten wrong, Guinevere! Let me say the same thing right back to you: Perhaps you would've stood a chance if you had more common sense, but too bad! That moment will never come!" Shizuka is still falling down, but she is moving! And why is there another stone in Shizuka's hand, this time the stone representing the serpent's natural enemy [Steel]?!

"H-How?!" How can she move through these cursed winds and at the same time manifest her powers? "How can you be unaffected by my curse?"

"Didn't I tell you, Guinevere?" Shizuka starts to speak in a lecturing tone, as if admonishing a child. "Your lack of common sense is your undoing! Within the eye of a tornado there is no wind, that's a fact even a grade schooler would know! If you had even a little bit of common knowledge you wouldn't let me get right above you, but you did! That is why you lose!" Of course, a grade schooler probably doesn't understand the Coriolis forces _{5}_ behind this phenomenon, but one should still have a rudimentary understanding of this fact!

"Damn!" Guinevere realizes her mistake, but is not allowing Shizuka to grab this chance. The breath of ice is almost ready, and since this king is in free fall she cannot dodge the attack.

"Too late, Guinevere!" According to Athena [Steel] desecrates [Earth]. Even the most basic books on magic call dragons manifestations of [Earth] itself. In other words, this stone is the perfect weapon for slaying Guinevere. The moment Guinevere allowed her opponent to draw this weapon she couldn't win anymore. "Dragon-slaying steel, your enemy has arrived! Go and destroy what stands in your way!"

The black stone starts to shine brightly as silvery-grey metal blades appear from the stone and rain down upon the serpent. One of the blades slices straight through Guinevere's neck, causing her to lose focus and completely miss her last beam of frozen death. More and more blades form, until it looks like Guinevere is hit by a silver meteor shower.

A painful cry is given off by Guinevere, inviting herself to the afterlife she will soon go to. But even that sound is completely overshadowed by that of steel ripping flesh and stone.

This attack has caused a definite end to this battle. Shizuka lands on the ground near the dragon, and while it is somewhat painful to fall so many meters her superhuman body doesn't even have a single broken bone, just a few bruises.

Shizuka gets up, standing proud in front of her defeated opponent.

The fight is over, Shizuka has won!

-x-

Lancelot is still struggling against that giant flying mermaid. While recovered from the sudden attack he still has some trouble getting the fight back to his own tempo. While the swings of this mermaid are already dangerous enough to harm steel it doesn't help that she also has a knack for conjuring spears.

Really, a fishwoman throwing spears as if she is in a bullet hell game _{6}_ , what kind of insane person comes up with those things?

Lancelot's gallant steed dodges the incoming barrages, but cannot find an opening against this opponent. The fish acts arrogant, not even looking at her opponent, acting as if he isn't worthy to stain the spirit's vision.

A poor choice if you ask Lancelot, but he will not discuss it. Robbing yourself of your vision is rather stupid battle tactic.

But even though she cannot see Lancelot her attacks are surprisingly accurate. It's as if she can still see him clearly. Perhaps this woman is using something other than sight? Hearing, smelling, feeling the flow of wind, or maybe something completely different?

Only one way to test it out. With a loud clang Lancelot starts to strafe around the water spirit, hoping to get to the face of this familiar.

It does not seem to work. Lances keep trying to slay the horse and its rider, manifesting from nowhere and attacking with deadly precision. Narrowly weaving their way through the sea of weapons the duo tries to reach the other side of this familiar, but they can only move slow enough that the water spirit can nimbly turn around at the same pace. And so it continues, Lancelot keeps dodging, and his opponent keeps his face on the exact opposite of them…

…until it all comes to a sudden halt. The water spirit looks with absolute horror at what stands before her:

A Caucasian girl with honey-colored hair and sky-blue eyes. A tall and slim build, and a face so exquisite it could belong to an angel. Her torso is covered in chain mail, and leather pants cover her long legs. For a woman, this body can be considered flawless.

But her beauty is not the problem. No, why is she standing here like that?

"Hoho, one finally understands. You cannot perceive this knight when one stands completely still." While the voice is certainly feminine now, the way of speaking only belongs to a single person. Can it be? This woman is Lancelot? The water spirit looks back at the horse, where she sees that the steed is only carrying Lancelot's white armor.

"Consider the shedding of armor a gift. It's a secret this knight only tells to those who will not live to survive the tale." Lancelot summons a spear in his, no, her hands. She's fully intent on piercing right through her opponent's face, destroying the familiar and taking her completely out of the battle.

But that is not necessary. Just as Lancelot is ready to start the charge the water spirit puts her hands before her face and flies upward to the heavens. Since her face has been seen this beast will be unsummoned, the one and only restriction on this authority.

Lancelot looks at the disappearing authority. It's a pity that Lancelot cannot turn this in a grandiose fight, but since there are still enemies left she has no time to complain. Not intending to keep her secret out in the open any longer she goes over to her mount and dons the white armor once more, so that "he", Lancelot, can challenge his two opponents once more.

Over at the beach Alexandre kills his last enemy before looking at to the other two battles. Athena has successfully managed to kill her enemies, meaning that Lancelot's authority has failed to succeed its purpose. The other battlefield is slightly less positive, since the authority he obtained from Melusine has just been unsummoned, while Lancelot looks pretty much unharmed.

Sure, this was to be expected. That fishwoman is better for surprise attacks and distractions then she is for prolonged battle. However, Gascoigne had hoped to unsummon her on his own terms because now he has to wait a full day before he can use this authority again.

The godslayer sees that there is a small period of rest in this battle, the moment where the first round of battle flows in the second. The two gods also see that the battle has come to a temporary halt.

Lancelot lets his steed rest as it moves in a slow trot, sparing energy for the next round. Just like a horse Lancelot too is a deity best suited to temporary powerful attacks rather than emitting a constant force. Athena also accepts the quick rest so she can let it all out in the next round of this fight. While her ally has lost temporary use over one authority, the battle is still in favor to the queen and prince… especially since the other battlefield has been decided.

Not surprising, that pathetic [Seal of Snakes and Dragons] is a mere stopgap that doesn't compare to the real deal like Athena.

"War god Lancelot. One hast felt the conclusion of the other battle." Walking back to the shoreline Athena starts some small talk with her mortal enemy. Lancelot follows close by, his horse moving at a leisurely pace.

"Indeed, indeed. One has lost here, completely and utterly. Whether one lives or dies, whether one slays you or not, this knight and his beloved child will lose the battle, while Gascoigne, Athena and your ally will have absolute victory." The knight simply points out the truth while keeping his jolly tone. Even if the objective is lost, then lose in a blaze of glory and power! Victory only places second after the joy of battle!

"So now that Guinevere is slain, what will you do, Lancelot?" Athena is standing close to her ally again, who has taken over the word. "While personally defeating Guinevere has been my original plan, I cannot say that this utter despair for her dissatisfies me. Lancelot, why don't you simply retreat? I've had enough battle for today, and I'm not interested in taking more action then necessary."

It's a clear taunt with no other meaning then that, since all three combatants know that Lancelot will never retreat from his enemy. "Ha. One should not give a known answer. To battle Europe's queen of gods, and at the same time fight Britain's great godslayer; No greater challenge exists than this! This knight hereby swears: We shall create a duel forever remembered by history, the grand battle at the grave of one's lord!"

Lancelot is ready to use his authority, but suddenly he decides not to. There is something wrong. From the direction where Guinevere lost her life, there is something that is very wrong…

-x-

Guinevere is slain, no doubt about that fact. The dragon-slaying steel landed numerous hits on her, a complete massacre.

The colossal body of the dragon is already crumbling into bits of sand, just being muddy enough not to be blown away by the wind. There seems to be still some consciousness in the sand, but that won't last long.

Shizuka is done here, her part of the mission fulfilled. There is no need to enter another battlefield right now, as Shizuka will only add more mayhem to the fight. She just has to kick back, relax, and wait until everything's finished. Black prince Alec will return home with the grail, Athena will die content and Japan is saved from a crisis. Everything has been taken care of.

"…won't… let you…" Except that there is one thing still in the way. The sand of the dragon, the one just slain, gathers together. Did Guinevere use her last strengths to perform some kind of magic spell?

"Give up, Guinevere. This love story of your has ended in a tragedy. You won't resurrect your king."

"Indeed… Guinevere admits her defeat in that matter." Spoken in resignation, the sand remodels itself back in the shape of Guinevere. Is this some sort of revival spell that she just used? Even if it is something like that, it's only temporary, because that new body of hers is so unstable it won't even last ten minutes. "I will not see him again for a long time, and resurrecting him will have to be left in less trustworthy hands. But there is still something this maidservant can do for her liege."

Shizuka looks at these final cries of a dying girl, not seeing any treat in it. She simply stands nearby, hearing the last will of this divine ancestor.

"Soon there will come a day that his highness will walk the earth once again, slaying all godslayers on earth. However, Guinevere believes that she should at least lighten his burden. That will be the last thing this loyal follower will do for him!"

Magic power gathers, a massive amount flows in Guinevere's body. More and more, an amount that would be toxic to normal mages, even a Divine Ancestor should have the rest of her life force eroded. But Guinevere is already dead, so no matter how much she gathers it will not change when she dies.

"O water, descend from the heavens!" The final attack of a cornered animal is the most dangerous moment of its entire life. Guinevere is planning to take down Shizuka with her!

The area around the two girls has already turned into rubble from the previous fight, so there is no need to protect the surroundings. Using the stone of water to summon the rest of the turtle as a disposable shield will do perfectly.

But Guinevere does not seem intent to spend her energy on a final big explosion, even though Shizuka gets the feeling she's planning something like that. No, the energy takes a formless shape, something unperceivable but existing.

"O loyal knight, o perfect knight! This servant apologizes for troubling you, but the devils of this era are running rampant." It can't be, is Guinevere summoning a deity? "Guinevere asks you to hear her plea, for only you can succeed my wishes. For the sake of slaying this king Guinevere beseeches you to come down once more!"

The magic energy flows down into Guinevere's body, a whole new power unlike anything Shizuka has seen before. The energy almost pushes Shizuka back, a powerful gust paving the way for this summoning.

Eventually the wind dies down, and Shizuka finds out that she actually was pushed away, now standing at a distance of around thirty meters away from the divine ancestor.

No, she cannot be called a divine ancestor anymore. That girl looks the same as before: The same long and blond curly hair; The same childish face and prepubescent body; The same black gothic lolita dress; If you simply look at her, there would be no way to call her any different from before. But the power radiating from Guinevere, it's like a tiny flame became a large burning fire.

Shizuka does not know what a divine spirit is, having never read any books on that subject nor heard people talking about it. She does not know what kind of trick Guinevere did nor what the precise results of that spell were. But one thing Shizuka does know. One thing she can say with absolute certainty:

That thing is not Guinevere anymore.

-x-

The other battlefield also notes the sudden new power joining the battlefield, their own continuation of battle being halted for a little bit longer as they want to see what exactly happened over there.

"Is this? Did yonder maidservant summon a heretic god to her side?" Athena wonders in surprise, before realizing the true form of the enemy. "No, one cannot summon a deity without sufficient preparations or materials, and she is found lacking both."

"In other words, Guinevere summoned a divine spirit." The black prince chimes in, also realizing what is happening. "If she has been driven to these tactics then she must be desperate. Turning into a dragon probably wasn't enough to defeat this Kusanagi, so now she resorts to this kind of trickery."

"That maidservant is done for. The [Seal of Snakes and Dragons] has been broken, and now said power has vanquished. Her corpse is deceased, ending its final play. That maiden's final fumes will not cause a turnabout."

"Correct, Athena: this knight will soon lose his foremost ally," Instead of speaking in his usual jolly tone Lancelot sounds different than ever before. For the first time ever the knight sounds annoyed. Is this because he finally lost his entire raison-d'être, with Guinevere dying on the battlefield? "but I'm afraid that it you are wrong about your last remark."

"Fufu, desecrating steel, thou truly believes hope shines for thy companion?"

"Yes, though one can only wonder what dire straits forced the beloved child to commit a crime so heinous. Most likely even summoning the divine spirit of my lord would not be enough to create victory. Perhaps it would be right to say that because there is no deity in heaven or earth capable of reversing the situation but him that she had to resort to calling upon that troublesome man."

Troublesome, a word uttered for the first time by Lancelot. Enemies are challenges, worthy opponents to be defeated. This is the first time Lancelot describes someone as troublesome, something reserved for this deity alone.

"For even the white knight to be so disgusted by his own ally, what could this dying gambit of Guinevere be?" Even Alec is intrigued by this new challenger.

"That is the divine spirit of the only deity that can overcome this trial, yet is also the only deity that this knight dislikes from the bottom of his heart. To make matters worse the beloved child summoned the most annoying version of this warrior. As much as one would like your ally to win this fight one is afraid that it will be my side to obtain victory over there." Lancelot brandishes his spear once more, a sign that combat is about to restart. Athena and Alec do the same, ready to enter round 2. Only a final sentence is spoken by the white war god to finish this chapter of the fight:

"How nostalgic yet infuriating. To think that the two of us are fighting on the same side once more. What do you say, Gawain?"

-x-

{1} Kisarasu City: A city in Kanto, but on the opposite side of Tokyo Bay compared to Tokyo. Here takes place the excavation of the reverse heavenly halberd, location-wise most likely at Sui Shrine in Kisarasu City.

{2} Cetan: Lakota deity of speed, perseverance, wind, determination, the east and immunity to blindness. Takes the form of a giant hawk.

{3} Malaegant: An obscure villain from the Arthur saga who abducted Guinevere. Lancelot rescued Guinevere together with Gawain, and the two then killed Malaegant.

{4} Sun Tzu, the art of war, chapter 7, verse 36.

{5} Coriolis force: Due to the rotation of the earth wind deflects from its original course, this power is named the Coriolis force. In tornadoes it deflects winds to the outside of the tornado, the eye wall, leaving the tornado's eye completely free of wind.

{6} Bullet hell games: A type of video game genre in which you dodge a really large amount of bullets. The most famous example these days is probably Touhou Project, but other famous examples are Ikaruga, the eXceed triology and DoDonPachi.

-x-

Welcome to the end of the fourth chapter.

Let us all hold a moment of silence for Guinevere, whose death is now pretty much inevitable.

If there are any fans of her, I apologize. This was simply the logical outcome of this battle when we consider the new circumstances.

I originally planned to put a long story here of around four hundred words explaining the entire situation, but then I realized that I could do it in two sentences:

-Guinevere managed to become a legitimate threat in volumes 9 and 10 because of manipulation and deceit, not because her side was a powerhouse.  
-Guinevere got outwitted.

In other words, the turnabout magic didn't happen.

Compare it to Wei seeing through the plans of Wu and Shu at the battle of red cliffs, Finland missing the likes of Simo Hayha during the winter war or Nobunaga losing the war at Okehazama: If the superior tactic fails then the winner will be the one with the larger power, which this time is the anti-Guinevere alliance.

So yes, team Guinevere is losing, it's the only logical conclusion.

For those of you who say: "But author, why don't you listen to your heart? Don't you feel sorry for Guinevere?"

To those I say: "Yes. Yes I do. My heart wants to let her live and perhaps even win. However, my heart is stupid and easily swayed by emotions, so thankfully I have my brain to keep things logical and sensible." Here's an example of how those conversations between heart and brain work:

Heart: Hey, Brain! Brain, listen to me!

Brain: Ugh… yes, what is it?

Heart: I have this really awesome idea for the story!

Brain: Heart, listen to me, Just... listen: You are stupid, and I don't really care about anymore your ideas. You lost that right somewhere along the way. I believe it was either the moment you suggested John Pluto Smith drops in and starts dropping Arnold Schwarzenegger one-liners or the moment you suggested this story becomes a Shizuka/Guinevere slash f-

Heart: How about we take a dragon, take a phoenix, and then have the two fight each other?

Brain: Heart, don't interrupt me with your stupid pla-hang on, that's actually not a bad idea! Perhaps if I make Guinevere do this… and Shizuka do this… yes, I think that I can include that in the fourth chapter. Good job, Heart. Even you can sometimes make some good suggestions.

Heart: and in the time-travelling arc we should have Shizuka and companions go to 1973 and help godslayer Graham Chapman with the making of Monty Python and the Holy Grail!

Brain:…emphasis on sometimes…

Even so, both Heart and Brain enjoy writing the story, and they both hope you'll stick to the rest of "It sits in the family!"


	5. Perfection is overrated

_18_ _th_ _of November, late evening_

The person standing in front of Shizuka is clearly not Guinevere anymore. Sure, that body is still the dying form of Guinevere. However, the aura she gives off is clearly divine.

The girl has obtained a gaze that seems hotter than the sun, blazing embers instead of the expected lamenting eyes of sadness. She looks around her, as if wondering about what is happening in her surroundings, before turning to Shizuka. "Greetings, godslayer." She answers politely in a deep voice, more befitting for a strong male. "I see that some wench used divine possession to summon my spirit into this world. I can barely imagine how strong your loyalty for your lord is if you are will to go through such desperate and humiliating straits, Guinevere."

The male voice speaks with snide about his summoner, as if sharing some sort of dislike for Guinevere.

"But enough about her, there are more important matters to handle than man-stealing whores. Miss, would you care giving me your name?"

"My name is Kusanagi Shizuka. So who… and what are you?"

"Hah…" This being sighs, looking rather annoyed at Shizuka. "truly, I do not know what is worse: The fact that there are godslayers who were completely unaware of the world of magic until they slew a deity or that there are gods who actually lose to these kinds of people." While the relationship between gods and godslayers is already hostile from the beginning these words that come out of his mouth only make Shizuka dislike this spear-tongued person more. "I may never have been a teacher in lore, but I can explain something simple like this: Guinevere tried to call upon a deity, but she lacked the proper resources to summon a god from the realm of myth. Because of that she performed a simpler method that sacrifices one's life for the sake of summoning the spirit of the divine lord in their own body, killing the summoner in the process. What I am summoned as is called a divine spirit. Do you understand, or should I try monkey-talk?"

"It's clear, thank you very much." Shizuka answers with a hint of annoyance. What a horrible jerk this man is. "Since I gave you mine, would you mind giving me your name in return?"

"Of course, king: Through myth I have suffered from some changes to my name. While I went under many different names the one I am currently most known as is [Gawain], the green knight of the sun."

"Gawain, you say?" Something sounds totally wrong with that. Gawain, the loyal and upstanding knight of justice, is someone who sounds more like some cynical bastard. There's a huge discrepancy between myth and reality that is not easily waved aside. "Correct me if I am wrong, but the stories I read don't portray Gawain as a sarcastic jerk."

"Hmm, you might be right." Instead of denying these words Gawain mulls over them, seeing some speck of truth in what was said. "I believe that the original owner of this body is the cause for that. For the sake of including the deity once known as [Lancea god], who now goes under the name of Lancelot, into the legend of king Arthur my original role got somewhat changed. If that has happened then perhaps I should not name myself after those myths. Kusanagi Shizuka, name me not [Gawain], knight of the round table, but [Gwalchmei], warrior of the sun. That is the deity that I am most connected to."

"So… Gwalchmei. What are you planning on doing here?" Of course, what needs to be clear now is whether or not he is planning to fight Shizuka. Combat should be avoided if possible, but if the enemy holds hostility to Shizuka she should take on this new opponent.

"Me? I don't really have anything I wish to do. I was summoned here by a woman I despise, forced in a body that won't last to see tomorrow, and I would only cause more strife and destruction if I choose to attack. Really, it would be a lot better if I had never been summoned…"

That's a better answer than Shizuka had expected. Knowing the arrogance of the divine she was expecting him to start fighting her in some sort of all-out war. "Then return to your myth. There's no point for you to keep existing in this world."

"Absolutely correct, king. I would like to do nothing more than to simply wait and return."

Something is wrong with these words. Those are not the words of someone who does as he says, there's a subversion waiting in his words, an actual reason for him to actually join the battlefield.

"However, there used to be a girl in this world who sacrificed everything for the sake of her goal. It is undeniable that she is scum, an idiot, and repeatedly overstepping her boundaries. Even so, she came to me of all people, a former enemy of hers, and begged me to fulfill her last wish. I have sworn that as long as I exist I shall not turn down anyone who seeks my help, be it for alms or for deeds. I will not break this vow here, even for a person such as Guinevere. Apologies, Kusanagi Shizuka, but I'm afraid that I have to fight you."

Here Shizuka thought that Gwalchmei is a grumpy bear who only cares about himself, but he can be surprisingly nice to others. Perhaps he should become a member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"I'm not interested in pointless fighting without gain." But even if Gwalchmei wants to fight for Guinevere Shizuka does not. This is all pointless for someone who has already seen enough fighting. Does Gwalchmei really need to fight? Why can't he allow her to call it quits for today and stop fighting?

"Indeed, this fighting is pointless for you. Even if I were beaten you would not obtain one of my authorities, not when I am in a state like this. Perhaps when summoned as a full heretic god you would obtain a new power, but that is another story. Therefore, let me make you an offer: Sleeping in this land is the strongest steel, I assume that even someone like would've heard of that man."

"Yes I did. What is so interesting about him?"

"Even through Guinevere failed to wake him the day will come that that man walks the earth once again, trying to eliminate every single godslayer in the world. To prepare you for the confrontation with my previous lord I offer you a small advantage: The reason Gawain is called the nephew of King Arthur is because they hold the same country as origin. Figure out my true name, and it should be easy for you to determine the true name of that dormant deity."

"You can't just tell me the name of that god?"

"Sadly enough I can't. I promised not to tell anyone his name, and that too is a vow I will not break. Of course, giving hints like this does not count as breaking my vow." What a nifty little rules lawyer.

Gwalchmei straightens Guinevere's body, standing strong and proud like a warrior of steel. "So let us start our little skirmish. I may not be much of an opponent, the fight probably won't even last five minutes. However, if you think that that is not enough reason to take me seriously…"

A wave of enormous pressure flows from Gwalchmei, boosting out pure power stronger than Guinevere had, stronger than Nu Wa had. With blazing eyes he looks at Shizuka, who is slightly staggered from this sudden rise in danger. Her instincts are screaming at her, telling her the same thing Gwalchmei says if she does not give her all in this battle: "…you will die."

-x-

The second round of battle has started, and most likely it is going to be the final round. Because victory is impossible for Lancelot if he doesn't show his full strength the legendary knight must go all out in battle. Because the enemy gives this battle his all Athena and Gascoigne will certainly lose if they act half-heartedly. In other words, an authority that can end this battle immediately must be used.

Gascoigne has an authority like that. However, it needs to be prepared for several minutes before it can be activated. He tells his ally Athena this, intending her to become a temporary distraction for the war god.

"That so?" The distraction, the bait. Many humans would consider this a dangerous and demeaning role, something that carries a high risk of death when used in battle. One would normally only enter such a squadron if you piss off the commander.

For Athena this is different. A tactic like that is perfectly fitting for a goddess of war, and as much as Athena wants to deny it even she has been defeated by a plan like that. Who could've thought that Kusanagi Godou would use his own authorities as a distraction so he could use an ordinary magic weapon for a finishing blow? If even a goddess of wisdom could not see this tactic coming, then should this not be super effective against one of those idiotic knights of steel?

"Hoho, war god Lancelot!" Athena speaks louder than normal but not loud enough to be undignified. "One knowest thy prowess in battle. However, how dost thou fare in the domain of the avian ruler? This one challenges thee to a duel in the sky, betting this goddess' title of Glaukopis on it!" A pair of wings sprout from Athena's back. Not the pure white wings of an angel, but brown wings with spotted patterns on them, like those of an owl.

Athena has taken an avatar akin to the symbol of wisdom, the one who guides people to the underworld. The brown wings spread out, and with a small jump Athena takes off. With smooth movements she hangs in the air, gliding slowly to Lancelot.

"Hoh, one shall assume that those feathered wings stand for your position as the queen of the sky, the very title you are betting here. This knight is certainly intrigued by this proposal."

Interested, yes, but Lancelot is hesitating to accept. To suddenly create a duel, right here and now? Perhaps if Athena were in the minority it would be a valid tactic, but with superior numbers it's a ridiculous strategy. To temporarily put Gascoigne out of commission… there's only one reason for such a tactic.

"Athena, do not take this knight for a fool. One realized already this tactic of yours. Buying time for your ally to summon his [Furies], so he may end this battle, right?" You do not truly understand someone until you fight them. Having had short clashes with both opponents Lancelot does understand what kind of trickery these two pull to win. This is nothing new.

"But even knowing all the stakes this knight still accepts!" Lancelot flies up in the skies, and Athena swiftly follows. The duo climb high into the sky, to a point where Gascoigne cannot easily interfere.

There are several reasons why Lancelot accepts this challenge, but the foremost reason is that he has to.

Lancelot is not a deity fit for continuous warfare. Precise strikes against the enemy, a few fatal blows instead of an onslaught. If the battle would turn into one of attrition the winner will certainly not be Lancelot.

In other words, a move of absolute victory is needed. On this whole battlefield there is only one thing Lancelot can do to win: stab Athena with the divine lance of salvation, Excalibur. Sure, the grail may have been sealed, but Excalibur can bypass that contraption by directly putting the blade in the body of the mother earth goddess, sucking away her energy.

If Athena has been drained then Lancelot will have a trump card ready, and Gascoigne will be the only enemy left. That situation will without doubt be victory for the warrior god. It is a condition well worth to gamble for.

Therefore, this is the final gambit. Can Lancelot drain Athena before Gascoigne summons his furies? The answer to that question will determine the end of this battle!

"Oh divine sword of salvation, steel slices apart the planets! Lend power to this knight!" The simple war lance in Lancelot's hand is replaced with the strongest, most sacred steel. Thunder flashes around Lancelot, his horse enveloped in lightning. "With thunder and lightning as my allies, this ancient steel will pierce through the very earth itself!"

Athena summons her bow in her hand, four stone arrows resting on the shelf. Lancelot starts to gallop, quickly moving towards Athena in a straightforward charge. The goddess spans her bow, aiming for the charging knight. The closer Lancelot is, the less time he has to dodge the counterattack. 3 seconds… 1 second… there! As the string makes a soft twang the four arrows all make their way to Lancelot ,who is forced to dodge these petrifying arrowheads. Making a V-shaped curve he dodges past them, but is also unable to strike Athena.

More arrows are fired at Lancelot when he is past Athena, the latter hoping to strike down this knight in this battle. Just because she is a distraction does not mean that she cannot try to strike down the enemy.

"Foolish, Lancelot! Thy steed is not a denizen of the sky, thou farest better on land! One sees nothing but openings!" The battle is a lot more equal than it was before, with Athena now standing almost equal to Lancelot.

The main cause of this problem lies in their maneuverability. While Lancelot holds the absolute advantage in top speed and acceleration, he is far outclassed in turning speed and altering course by Athena. Just like a horse Lancelot is much better at going straight ahead.

"No, it's not that this knight suddenly is full of openings, it's merely your advantage of terrain." On the ground Athena's ability to dodge is greatly hindered, making Lancelot's job a lot easier. "Therefore one must simply alter the terrain to favor this knight."

"Hoh? Showest this one, the tactic you are hiding." Athena gives a command, and Lancelot obliges:

"My allies, thunder and lightning, form the trap to stall the queen of darkness!"

Learn from your enemies. Words of wisdom that every warrior knows, Lancelot is planning to use what he learned in the previous round:

Throwing a ton of spears is very effective at hindering your opponent's movement. And what is more awesome (and effective) than spears? Spears made entirely out of lightning!

Dozens of lightning bolts appear, each one igniting the air around it. They continue all the way down to earth, destroying whatever the thunderbolt hits.

Because Athena cannot move into one of these bolts without getting scorched the thunderstorm she is in acts as a continuously shifting net, forming a pattern of lightning almost moving randomly through the sky.

Athena has much less space to dodge now, a lot of her routes being taken up by this lightning. Constant dodging is required, while at the same time she needs to stay alert for Lancelot's charges.

Once more Lancelot comes straight at Athena, absorbing any amount of lightning that comes his way.

Summoning four more arrows Athena shoots at Lancelot once more. As expected, Lancelot is forced to dodge again.

"Fu… one expected better, war god. Thy stratagems are sloppy, unfitting for thy situation." If this keeps up then the battle will be a draw. If that happens then Gascoigne can summon his [Furies] unhindered, giving the duo a free ticket to victory.

"Indeed, simply charging at the enemy is a foolish tactic. However, that is this knight's one and only ultimate skill. One shall simply perform a charge on a level so high not even you can defend against this, Athena!"

Lancelot has separated himself at least a hundred meters from his opponent, and is currently letting his horse rest a bit by stepping in a slow trot. When the time is ready he charges again, aiming once more for Athena's throat. Athena looks at Lancelot's charges, but this time her expression is a combination of annoyance and disappointment.

Utter foolishness!

That tactic failed. This is the very definition of insanity. There is no shame in recycling old tactics, but without knowledge when to execute old plans it all becomes meaningless! Athena expected better from Lancelot!

Once again Athena summons arrows for her bow, aiming at the charging Lancelot. Lancelot sees this, but continues charging. Athena fires her arrows, expecting Lancelot to dodge out of the way.

Except Lancelot doesn't. He keeps on charging, barely grazing the arrows. How did those arrows miss? They were perfectly on target!

No, that's not true. They would be perfectly on target if Lancelot was charging at Athena. This time Lancelot was charging at Athena's sides, making him slightly off course from the arrows. Now that those weapons are out of the way Lancelot can alter the direction of his charge and aim directly at Athena.

The trinity goddess also realized her mistake, and tries a quick dodge. She is forced to collide with a thunderbolt, her lower back getting scorched from the heat.

"Well, would you look at that: This knight's lance has finally tasted blood!" Lancelot exclaims joyfully, showing off his blood-stained weapon as his pride. "With this one has obtained the first bit of energy of you, Athena!"

Athena looks at her right ankle, where a bloody cut shows proof of Lancelot's small victory.

"Magnificent, war god Lancelot. One's original opinion was incorrect, thou art not merely a fool, but a warrior blessed with strategic wit!" Even though Athena just suffered two injuries there's no reason not to speak confidently with her opponent. Such is the way of the immortal gods, and so it will forever be. "Then showest this goddess, art thou able to perform once more such trickery?"

Both deities ready their weapons once more, donning the arms of war to continue their fight.

-x-

"O sun, abide to death and extinguish." Golden light surrounds Gwalchmei as he starts to chant his first authority. "O earth, descend to the underworld. O steel, rust and be obsolete."

Danger. Unimaginable danger. This authority is lethal, a weapon that can cut down the immortality of even the very gods. If that thing hits Shizuka she will undeniably die. Therefore an ultimate protection is needed. A shield that can protect her from all harm. The only thing that comes to mind is the carapace of the great world turtle.

But before the spell words leave her mouth she realizes that that is wrong, her instincts telling her that summoning that carapace will kill her. The authority of Gwalchmei will strike past her shield and destroy her. Biding her time she waits for the perfect opportunity to counter.

"Godslayer, know the mercy of the king of the gods. With this single strike I will inflict extinction." The golden light expels from his body, forming a lance of [Divine Lightning]. As the lance forms the moment for Shizuka to start chanting has arrived:

"Oh great turtle carrying the world, protect your mistress from all harm!"

Shizuka used [Water] to create the giant turtle's legs for sealing the holy grail. Now she will use the rest of the turtle as a one-shot defensive measurement. Though a fake authority summoned by the stone of water, being smaller than the original and lacking any form of offensive power, it still perfectly fulfills its purpose as a shield.

"Be reduced to cinders, Kusanagi Shizuka!" And with this last exclamation Gwalchmei throws the lance, planning to do exactly what he said.

That lance is [Divine Lighting]. The instant it is thrown it seeks out what the thrower wants to obliterate, and finds the shortest path towards the goal without destroying anything else. Therefore not even the strongest shield can protect one from the throw, as the spear will simply alter its course to go around it. When it is thrown it will move at the speed of light towards the enemy, killing them pretty much instantly with no delay. Because of these factors it is better to call this authority the [Infallible Spear of Divine Lightning].

However, there is a minuscule weakness that is almost impossible to take advantage of: After the infallible weapon is thrown it will not change its path again. To travel thirty meters light takes a tenth of a microsecond. If in that timeframe a shield can be placed in that path then one can escape Gwalchmei's wrath.

Gambling her life on this tiny window of opportunity Shizuka made sure to have the turtle pop up just before Gwalchmei finishes his incantations, and to the surprise of both god and godslayer the plan succeeded:

With blazing speed the turtle shoots upwards out of the ground. At the moment the [Infallible Lance] is launched the optimal trajectory for hitting Kusanagi Shizuka goes just above the turtle, grazing against the top of the giant reptile's carapace. Within the fraction of time the spear needs to travel 15 meters the turtle got even higher, now standing directly in the way of the path of destruction the spear wants to take.

The spear of lightning collides with the turtle, having found a "target". Flames sprout out of the lance and into the turtle, aiming to destroy the beast to dust. It screams it out in pain, and within three seconds all that is left of it are few bits of ash that did not evaporate.

The air is hot, static even. Moving in this place is painful as jolts of electricity move through Shizuka's body.

Her opponent seems less troubled by it all, but the few spasms he makes indicate that Guinevere's body cannot handle it that well. The mocking laugh on his face seems to say otherwise, his grin nasty and demeaning. However, it is not aimed at Shizuka. No, the mockery is aimed at the one in the sky. "Are you watching, oh god-king who has fallen from his throne? Look upon that infallible spear you gave me! Look how my enemy is still standing! This is what you gave me in return for my armor of invincibility? Truly, your very essence is dishonesty and deceit! You've brought greater shame over your family than your untalented sons and that whore those five call their wife. What kind of daze came over me to think that there would come something good from your house, even if it is a weapon? How can a god forgotten in obscurity and whose name is destroyed by the trimurti _{1}_ grant something of worth? I would be better off if I had kept my armor!"

Once more this god continues his ridicule, but this time it is aimed at a god Shizuka cannot identify. Better keep that information in the back of the mind, it might be useful for figuring out his true identity.

"Either way, Kusanagi Shizuka, I will have to congratulate you." Gwalchmei turns to Shizuka, and what once was Guinevere's face shows a truly happy smile. "What you just did should literally be impossible. This feat you just performed is a miracle on equal levels as is becoming a godslayer in itself."

"…" Shizuka is speechless, having nothing to truly say to her opponent. Gwalchmei takes this as a sign to continue his own speech, not caring that he is wasting precious seconds:

"Even among the other kings, I am sure that many of them would've died with that attack. No, it would be more precise that in the entirety of history you are the only one who has managed to survive that attack. I was careless, expecting that lance to solve all my problems. To rectify this I shall punish myself: Kusanagi Shizuka, I shall grant you the right of initiative."

"Are… are you saying that you're letting me attack?" That's actually a pretty big advantage to give in such a short battle. While Gwalchmei sounded rather pragmatic at the begin of the battle he's turning more and more in boisterous [Steel].

"No, I'm allowing you to become my student so you can be taught common sense, which will make you less of an idiot." Hey! "Of course I'm letting you attack me! I have sacrificed my immortal armor for the sake of my previous blow. I ask of you, show me your power!"

No reason not to take an opportunity when it is given. Shizuka raises her own magic energy, preparing herself for her own attack.

"Then I'll do just that, Gwalchmei."

-x-

While Lancelot and Athena are still dueling in the sky, with neither side successfully obtaining victory over the other, Gascoigne is busy with preparing his trump card. It requires him to meditate for several minutes, which makes it useless for actual combat unless prepared beforehand or the enemy suffers from some distraction.

But now that the meditation is over this authority can be used! This is where the battle will be finished! Gascoigne stops his meditation, ready to speak the spell leading to victory: "Hear me daughters of the endless night, daughters of earth and shadow." The second authority Gascoigne obtained, it allows him to summon the three furies, Greek deities of vengeance. These take the form of beautiful women with snakes for hair and wings on their back.

"Fighting evil with evil, repaying crime with crime, shedding blood for blood, knocking out a tooth for a tooth." This authority functions by selecting a territory of vengeance, in this case Tokyo bay, where Gascoigne must meditate for several minutes. When the goddesses are summoned all damage done in this territory is reflected back at the attacker.

Athena fights with arrows that turn living things to stone. In other words, they barely harm the environment and as such she will not be targeted. The thunder used by Lancelot on the other hand strikes into the earth, releasing a large capacity of electrons and heat that transmutes everything it hits, severely damaging the surroundings.

"By the blood of the slain mother, tragic death denies all future attempts at filial piety!" Because of that this authority will defeat Lancelot the moment the goddesses set their sights on him, while leaving Athena alone. Since Gascoigne still has a clear view of the dueling deities it won't take long before they target the war god.

"Megaera the demon, Tisiphone the avenger, Alecto the relentless, retrieve the curse and execute vengeance!" The three beautiful infernal goddesses suddenly appear around Gascoigne, seeing Lancelot using lightning to destroy another beautiful beach.

The snake-like hairs on top of their heads hiss, a vicious grimace appears on all three vengeful goddesses and their raven black wings spread open, ready to destroy this attacker. They go after Lancelot, intending to clobber him to death.

The two deities who had been dueling it out in the sky also notice the arrival of the newcomers. Athena recognizes the Erinyes from some far corner of her own myth, knowing all too well that all attacks need to be ceased lest she be attacked by her own ally. Lancelot also stopped, recognizing this authority that Gascoigne used for defeating fake Minos.

"Hoho, one lost this gamble." As if accepting his defeat the knight and his steed stand still in the air as if awaiting their fate. "This knight was unable to defeat Athena within the allotted time."

Lancelot starts an eerie laughter, as if he disregards his own defeat. "However, Gascoigne, you chose poorly! This knight has already witnessed your authority, so it is natural to have already prepared countermeasures against it!"

Both Athena and Gascoigne stare is amazement at Lancelot. Not because Lancelot has successfully countered their plan. No, it's because Lancelot actually prepared at all for battle. Since when did that musclebrain gain even the slightest hint of intelligence?

"These familiars of your punish all evil in their sight. Therefore, if their sight is nothing, they cannot punish anything!"

…

On second thought, let's take that compliment about Lancelot's intelligence back. What he just said has to be the dumbest idea Gascoigne heard, although the black prince's fellow peer Salvatore Doni might surpass this in folly. A complex magic ritual that focuses on the hatred of the land is not that dumbly countered.

"Great grandmother of water _{2}_ , make the water split apart and come together, become a bank of mist hiding me from my enemies!" Upon command the visibility worsens, and a thick layer of mist gathers so that Athena can only see a meter in front of her. Gascoigne has it slightly better, able to see around 5 meters ahead, and most likely this bank of mist has no real influence on the other battle currently going on.

As expected by Gascoigne, the three furies keep on flying in the mist, trying to slay Lancelot for his crimes…

…but they never get further than trying.

As if unable to locate Lancelot anymore the summons of the Campione hang lost in the air. Athena too is on guard, unable to locate her enemy well.

A loud scream from one of the furies tells Gascoigne that the enemy's incredibly dumb and stupid plan is for some godforsaken reason working. How the hell did Lancelot successfully slay one of the furies? Gascoigne's authority isn't supposed to work like that!

Another loud scream signifies the defeat of the second fury. The dumbest plan in the existence of plans goes full round and becomes so dumb that it actually works. Lancelot can casually defeat the furies and Athena is unable to prevent this and counter.

A third scream, and Gascoigne can feel his link with his trump card severed. In other words, the furies have been defeated and will now be unavailable for some time, leaving Gascoigne with only three of his five authorities.

"Athena, watch out!" Gascoigne shouts, relying on the still functioning power of voice to warn his own ally. It would lead to certain loss if Lancelot manages to obtain the power of divine sword Excalibur. "Lancelot managed to defeat my authority, and now he will come after you!"

"Fufu… 'tis cowardice to be fearful, nobleman of lightning. One hast already seen through this power of thee, Lancelot!" Perhaps the furies of her ally rely purely on sight, but Athena can easily identify the power of her enemy. "One sees right through the disguise thou dons!" Athena focuses her mind on this source of power, summoning stone arrows aimed at the enemy for the sake of striking Lancelot down.

Lancelot keeps circling around Athena, not striking down his opponent. Is it because Athena has noticed Lancelot, and a sudden attack is meaningless? Well, whatever, this authority will eventually run out of power, and that is when the great goddess of wisdom and darkness will strike.

Suddenly thunder strikes Athena, a large dose of voltage going through her body.

Letting out a painful cry Athena tries to move away, but finds herself unable to move even a little bit.

In general deities have superb resistance, so much that all human weapons, be it physical, biological or magical, are absolutely useless against them. However, this does not mean that there is nothing non-divine that can hurt divinity itself. While a deity will casually walk through a flamethrower they still get burned by a volcano, and while Athena can ignore even the strongest human taser she will get paralyzed by being stuck with thunder.

Athena can feel Lancelot charging directly towards her. In other words, the war god plans to use this moment of weakness to drain Athena dry, while powering up his own weapon in the process.

Whether this tactic was made at the start of this second round or Lancelot pulled a MacGyver is unimportant. What should be said is that this is perhaps the best tactic Lancelot could've taken, as Athena is unable to form her own authorities. With Gascoigne still on the ground he won't be able to reach the battlefield in time, meaning that there is no one who can stop Lancelot.

Is this the end for heretic Athena?

-x-

Shizuka is given a free attack on the enemy, a chance that she shouldn't waste. Therefore it is crucial to decide what kind of authority should be used against Gwalchmei.

Shizuka's options are [Earth] and [Wood]. The problem with the former is that Gwalchmei is a hero, a deity of [Steel]. Using a weapon that Steel is strong against in this situation is clearly not a good idea.

However, the same sort of problems can be said for [Wood]. As the element that resolves mainly around growth, birth, and blossoming it is perhaps the stone with the least amount of offensive power from the five, its main focus lying in healing stuff. Sure, the stone can also be used to create a draconic divine beast, but that seems rather stupid to use against dragon slaying steel.

In other words, both stones are not quite useful in this situation. Okay, there is one last thing, one final gambit she has, something she learned through a bit of research of her own power: By summoning all five stones at the same time and chanting the destructive spellwords for the final gambit Shizuka can summon a powerful destructive attack on everything in her surroundings.

Useful now, perhaps, were it not for the stupidly large amount of flaws this attack has. While the condition "can't use [Philosopher's Stones] for a month after this attack" is acceptable, and "decrease prosperity greatly in the surrounding area for 10 years" is annoying but not enough reason to never use it, it's especially the "wielder of the stones dies from using this attack" that prevents Shizuka from ever using it. Really, it's bad enough that Shizuka doesn't actually consider it worth noting down as an attack.

So, with all three possible attacks being equally bad, there's nothing Shizuka really has as a successful offensive power… actually, that's incorrect.

There is exactly one type of attack that might work in this situation:

"O wood, descend from the heavens!"

Wood may perhaps stand for growth, but just like tumors too much of something is bad for you. To be more precise, too much growth is poison, an element that also falls under the category of wood.

But it is not precisely poison that Shizuka is intending to use. Poisoning the enemy is normally useful, but take a look at Gwalchmei himself. The very body he is inhibiting is dying, something that can be considered a poison of itself. Adding more poison will not speed up the demise of Gwalchmei.

A specific type of poison is needed. What Shizuka plans to use are "poisoned thoughts", more commonly known as curses.

There's a large amount of different curses, ranging from the most basic curses of bad luck to the more RPG-esqe stat-lowering curses like strength, defense or speed saps. There are also curses for inflicting ailments and disease on someone, curses that seal some of the enemy's abilities, curses to make someone do something against their will or curses to alter someone's fate in a negative manner.

All in all enough nasty tricks to alter the outcome of this battle in her favor.

"Gwalchmei! For fighting the enemies of your enemies, be cursed! For prolonging a battle of destruction, be cursed!" Chanting that sounds more demonic than divine, the words create an evil aura around Shizuka. "For causing unneeded mayhem against the populace, be cursed! Bear your sins, and remember your mistakes!"

The air around Shizuka may properly be called miasma now. Many, many curses hang in the area: Some curses are meant to cause disorientation, others are meant to temporarily blind their victims, others reduce aim, or cause confusion. While there's a large variety of curses they all have the same purpose: Make it so that Gwalchmei cannot use another Authority for the sake of harming Kusanagi Shizuka.

"Hoh, curses? Not bad, not bad." Gwalchmei looks with interest at the air around Shizuka, and notices that it starts to move. The curses turn into a calm breeze, making them all flow towards Gwalchmei with the hope of infecting him.

"So, did you figure out my origin to discern that my greatest weakness is curses?" Intensely staring at Shizuka the divine spirit wonders if his thoughts are actually true. "No, I guess not. I assume that this was merely your luck and instinct. After all, if you truly knew you wouldn't have made such a sloppy mistake!"

A mistake? Shizuka wonders about that meaning, not seeing the fault in her own attack. "What are you talking about Gwalchmei?"

"Using curses against me is an excellent strategy, but you made a mistake in your execution." Shaking his head at this foolish idea, Gwalchmei calls Shizuka's strategy the perfect example of a half-baked fool. "Because you combined the curses with air this has become something I can easily defeat! Foolish enemy, let me show you your mistake right now!"

Gwalchmei raises the magic power radiating from his body, preparing to defeat this power with a single blow:

"Oh grand ruler Vayu _{3}_ , once more I thank you for this power. The two-sided nature of your domain, your blessings and your curses, this warrior calls upon the former. For the sake of exterminating this king's weapon, I shall entrust my life to you!"

Upon the completion of those words Shizuka can feel the power of this authority, although there doesn't seem to be any kind of supernatural power appearing. Actually, it's more of the opposite:

Her cursed winds just disappeared.

When did that happen?

-x-

Lancelot is charging closer and closer to Athena, the queen of darkness still incapacitated from the lightning. Thirty meters, twenty meters, ten meters, it's a distance easily crossed.

But suddenly, at five meters away from the target, everything in favor of Lancelot disappears. The mist that limits visibility? Gone. The thunder that is paralyzing Athena? Gone. The clouds that can summon new bolts of lightning? Also gone.

With the lightning gone Athena is no longer paralyzed, and with vision retrieved she can see exactly how Lancelot is coming at her.

Bow and arrows are replaced by her trademark black scythe, which she holds tight in her hands. Now that she can see the lance she can anticipate and parry the incoming knight, successfully dodging the blow as Lancelot runs past Athena, unable to end his charge early.

"War god Lancelot. 'tis not thy day, this goddess would certainly be eliminated if not for this sudden turnabout." Purely seen from a honorable point of view this battle is already lost for Athena. She should've been hit by that desecrating lance, and turned into energy for that weapon. Yet for some reason Lancelot's trap was dispelled, giving Athena another chance at life.

"Indeed, this knight is truly unfortunate. Of course, luck is an important factor on the battlefield, but one did not expected to be cursed like this today."

"'twas clearly not thee who dispelled thy own authorities."

"Nor was it your ally, Gascoigne." Lancelot lets out a low grumble, already having an inkling about the real cause of this sudden disappearance. "This knight starts to get real annoyed by your antics, Gawain. With complete certainty one can say that this is probably your doing."

And it is Gawain, or Gwalchmei if you call him after how he names himself, who is the cause of this incident. Not only did his authority make Shizuka's attack disappear, it seems to have also nullified the charge of Lancelot.

"To think that thy maidservant indirectly saved one's life… This goddess would almost forgive her previous acts of transgression were it not that she is the cause of one's limited lifespan to begin with." The words are spoken with at least some sort of sarcasm, as if she already decided that the only form of repentance for the duo's crimes is death. Lancelot laughs it off, but the irritation in his voice can still be heard, clearly telling that he still blames Gwalchmei.

"For the sake of winning her own battle the beloved child made my own battle harder. While this knight does not mind a challenge one still thinks that summoning my eternal rival is a terrible idea."

The duo share a small laugh, and with the conversation over they brandish their weapons once more. They both want to draw the other's blood and relish in victory.

However, Lancelot changed tactics. Instead of brandishing a single lance he now wields two: One is the divine spear of salvation, given the name of divine lance Excalibur; The other is Lancelot's own spear, nameless, but the one and only true weapon that Lancelot adores.

Is he planning to charge at Athena with two spears? That does not seem to be useful or even increasing his battle power, only increasing the cool factor of the charge.

"I shall go all out, Athena! I shall even gamble my beloved lance, my one and only weapon, upon this battle!" Lancelot throws his own spear upward, where it splinters apart.

"Hoh? Obtaining success through repetition, war god?" Athena recognizes what Lancelot is trying to do. The tactic with which he started this battle will now be repeated.

"Indeed! Sacrificing my beloved spear for more allies, all for the sake of smiting you, Athena. Consider this an honor!"

The number of knights surrounding Lancelot number two hundred. This will be enough to strike down Athena. Yes, this is how he should deal with this duo. Split them apart, and defeat them one by one.

After all, if Gascoigne has any weakness then it has to be height. Gascoigne has, if Lancelot can make an elaborate guess, 4 or 5 authorities. He knew of [Black Lightning], [Judging Furies] and [The Labyrinth] since the battle with fake Minos on Crete, and during this battle Gascoigne has shown off the [Faceless Queen] All interesting traps, but nothing that allows him to deal with a flying enemy like this. While he can reach this high by manifesting an avatar of lightning he is unable to attack without losing his godspeed, and thus his avatar, for half a day. Falling from this high is most certainly fatal, even for a king like Gascoigne, so that tactic cannot be used in battle.

As long as the battle stays in the sky it will favor Lancelot.

Gascoigne seems to have realized this as well, as behind Athena a bolt of lightning appears. Considering that Gawain nullified Lancelot's own storm and Athena is not associated with thunder that means that that bolt is without doubt the avatar of Gascoigne.

Then the thunderbolt descends, moving down to the ground, and Athena swiftly follows. Lancelot understands: Gascoigne wants to regroup and obtain victory through numeric advantage, and the queen of the night complies.

"This knight won't let you, trinity goddess!" The knights follow in rapid descend. Giving the orders to his fellow knights Lancelot also drops down, in pursuit of Athena.

The warriors form a net, intending to strike Athena from all directions. Some warriors rush past Athena, intending to strike Athena from behind and the sides.

The [Eyes of Petrification] have been activated again by Athena. While Athena would like to petrify everything in one shot the enemy is completely surrounding her, and she cannot see everything at once.

From all angles attacks are aimed at the goddess of darkness. With dodges and parries Athena manages to barely weave her way through the attacks, but the knights keep coming.

At the halfway point the knights suddenly spread out even further. They thin their numbers so that Athena will only manage to petrify a fraction of their numbers.

Two-thirds in and Athena has at best managed to get rid of a quarter of the enemy forces. Strangely enough the enemy doesn't attack, only sometimes sending out a single knight as a distraction. By forcing Athena to focus on the charging knight the rest of the army will go beyond her vision and prevent being petrified.

Eighty percent of the way down and Athena is certain she needs help. The attacks have stopped, but the knights are everywhere except straight down. Continuing down that path Athena tries her best to escape, but finds that Lancelot's knight outspeed her. Unable to escape pursuit Athena is still trapped by Lancelot's knights.

The water of the bay below has finally been reached, and Gascoigne can enter this battle.

However, for Athena help needs to come real quick: Unless Athena possesses the aquatic ability of a sea god she is trapped by Lancelot's knights. From the four corners of the winds, along with Lancelot coming from above, there are steel warriors occupying every position. There's no escape left for Athena, unless Gawain decides to be a douche again and nullify this attack too.

A snap of the fingers can be heard, and suddenly Lancelot finds himself almost unable to move. Looking behind him he can see why, the fifth authority of Gascoigne: A miniature black hole, it's size being around 25 meters, is currently sucking up its surroundings.

"What?" Lancelot lets out in a surprise. He sees that several of his fellow knights are being swallowed in the black hole, and rest seems quick to follow. The black hole is decimating his forces!

This… Lancelot did not see coming.

-x-

Shizuka's authority disappeared. Not defeated, not overwhelmed, it simply was there one moment and the next it was not.

"What was that?" That is only question on her mind. Whatever Gwalchmei used it made the authority completely disappear.

"Merely a gift I obtained from the lord of the winds. Your plan was decent: Either you would curse me for several minutes, wasting my time, or I would have to break through your miasma with sheer force, wasting my energy. However, your mistake was to use an air-based medium. This authority of mine allows me to turn the sky clear, nullifying the powers of the weather!"

Would Shizuka have copied the sun, the storms, the rain, the thunder, or anything akin to that Gwalchmei's authority would've nullified it as well. The name of this power is [Sailaastra], an ultimate defensive authority that restores the sky in a large radius around its user, it saved the divine spirit possessing Guinevere's corpse without him wasting much energy. The clouds are gone, and the moon shines gently upon the ground. All traces of Shizuka's authority are gone.

That is downright irritating. "How many more of these tricks do you keep in your pockets, Gwalchmei?"

"The authorities of mine are so numerous I cannot recall the exact number. However, it is not like there are no limits to my power. During battle all of my divine weapons can only be used once, and several others have specific limitations on when I can use them. The first authority used against you requires me to sacrifice my golden armor, the second can only be used if the weather is disturbed."

A deity with a large amount of powers, but just as many restrictions. If any of the other kings were here they would probably see some traces of the seventh king in this divine spirit.

"And now this body almost stops functioning, at best allowing me just one final attack." Gwalchmei is at his end, and so too is Shizuka. [Fire] was used to create a phoenix, [Water] was used to block that divine spear of lightning, [Wood] was canceled by this second authority of this deity, and [Metal] was used to slay Guinevere. Only the stone of earth is left.

"O Earth!" The empty stone of wood turns into the stone of earth. An element often associated with defense, it is the best finisher for this battle. The only matter of importance is that Shizuka blocks the final gambit of Gwalchmei, and then she will win.

"I have shown you two of my authorities, Kusanagi Shizuka. While both powerful and legendary, they were not enough to slay you. I can attack you only once more, but weapons on the level of the previous authorities will not be enough to defeat you. There is only one weapon I can use, my favorite authority bestowed on me."

Shizuka keeps the stone by her side, focusing her magical energy on the stone. Gwalchmei keeps talking, speaking about the weapon he is about to use:

"This weapon is my strongest attack, but it has several drawbacks: I can only using it once, if I unsummon it I am guaranteed to lose, and it needs to be used against a worthy opponent. You blocked what cannot be blocked, and forced me to defend in a fight where defending doesn't matter. I, Gwalchmei, shall deem you a foe on equal grounds as me. Take this, Kusanagi Shizuka! My final and ultimate blow!"

Energy spirals around Gwalchmei, manifesting itself in his right hand.

"For I am ever victorious, no Kshatriya _{4}_ will be my equal in battle."

The energy takes shape of a bow, an intricate golden bow with glowing white string.

"Weep, o gods, as the rejected child shows his superiority! Cower, o devils, for not even heaven and earth combined can slay this warrior! Worship, o humans, for never more will there be a god greater than the charioteer's son!"

That bow is not [Steel]. It is not an ordinary weapon that you see being carried by those legendary heroes. This weapon surpasses them.

No king, no god, no demon, nobody but Gwalchmei can wield this bow like that. Like Kusanagi Godou's [Warrior], the element that forms this bow is [Victory]. Try as she might, Shizuka cannot use her authority to ever recreate this weapon.

"Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pustivardhanam urvarukamiva bandhananmrtyormuksiya ma'mrtat _{5}_!" Sung like a beautiful hymn, spoken in words nobody but Gwalchmei himself can understand, it causes a golden arrow to appear in his left hand. "Come, king, let us settle this once and for all!"

Gwalchmei readies the arrow, pulling it back along the string. Further and further back, ever so increasing the power of this arrow. The tip is aimed at Shizuka's heart, intending to pierce the godslayer.

And the arrow is released. The twang of the string causes a sound louder than thunder, and the limbs of the bow shine brighter than then sun.

Shizuka temporarily cannot see, her eyes blinded by light. She cannot hear, the sound of thunder almost rupturing her ear drums. But she can still feel it, feel the arrow pointed at her heart and trying to kill her. To prevent that she starts to counter:

"Earth protect me, earth defend me! I shall not be wounded, I shall not be harmed!" A plethora of shields appear between Shizuka and the arrow, aiming to block and deflect that one arrow. Some are simple walls of hardened earth or plain boulders, others are intricate shields made out of carbon, but they are all made to prevent Shizuka from being hurt.

The arrow hits the first shield. The power the arrow holds drops, but the shield is not strong enough to stop the attack and shatters into pieces.. More shields appear on the arrow's path, and if the drop of power keeps up like this it should be more than enough to stop the final attack of Gwalchmei.

But the arrow doesn't stop.

After all, that arrow represents victory for its wielder. If the arrow is stopped, then the wielder wouldn't be victorious. To prevent this contradiction the very world itself drives the piercing arrow forward, unrelentingly destroying everything in its way.

This authority is an absolute rule: "The bow and arrow will bring guaranteed victory to its owner." Even if a shield has the power of infinity this arrow will break through to prevent a paradox from being created.

Therefore, the only way to stop this arrow is to counter with an absolute of your own. Shizuka does not rely anymore on those shields, having only one defense left: The absolutely indestructible stones of heaven.

One will certainly break through anything in its way. One will not be broken by anything. Like the fable of the strongest spear and the strongest shield, these are two things that cannot exist at the same time.

Thus one will break. Without noise [Earth] scatters, and the arrow pierces straight through Shizuka…

-x-

One by one the knights disappear, all being sucked in by the dark void. The only ones who seem to avoid this fate are Lancelot and Athena, who are expending all their energy so they will not be sucked up. With the greatest of efforts Lancelot can prevent himself from being sucked in, but the slower Athena seems to be ever so slightly sucked inside of the black hole. What is Gascoigne planning? Does he want to take both gods out in one blow?

Even so, the deities are still enemies of each other. Athena prepares arrows once more, while Lancelot summons his lightning. Both strike at the other, but fail completely as their attacks are sucked into the black hole too.

"It seems that we're not in a state to attack one another, Athena." Lancelot lets out in his usual jolly tone, but small hints of concern can be heard in his voice. He does not like his current situation at all.

"Fu… indeed. One admits that this is quite the precarious situation." The wings on her back flap rhythmically so that the maximum amount of force is generated, but it is not enough to escape from Gascoigne's authority. "Can it be? Didst that monarch truly plan to kill us both from the very beginning? Absolutely vexing!"

Athena doesn't blame anyone but herself. Her ally is a king, a slayer of gods. It would be unsurprising for such a being to betray that which he kills. To trust him was her and her mistake alone.

Suddenly a flash moves over the water, and as that flash passes Athena she suddenly disappears from Lancelot's view. What happened to her?

Back on the beach, around 150 meters away from Lancelot, Athena finds herself caught in Gascoigne's arms. He is the one who used godspeed to prevent the goddess from being killed by his authority, carrying Athena like a bride. It's probably Gascoigne's first and last moment he will ever do so with a woman.

"Why didst thou save this goddess, black prince?" Athena does not understand the logic behind Gascoigne's mind. He should've just let her die, and make it a victory purely for him and the other godslayer on the team, Kusanagi Shizuka. There's no reason to keep her around!

"It's obviously because I still have use for you, goddess Athena." Out of the thousands of responses, of which at least ninety percent increase the level of relationship between these two, Gascoigne had to pick the one that's neutral to negative. Still as bad with women as he has ever been.

"One shall accept that as valid reason." Athena is dropped by the black prince, and now stands steady on the ground. "So, thy plan… what does it involve?"

"Of course, that black hole is not enough to stop Lancelot." Lancelot has at this moment turned around, following a circular path to come closer to the enemy godslayer. Now Lancelot stands exactly between the Campione and his authority, performing a powerful charge to try and hit the enemy godslayer. "Therefore a final attack is needed, and I have one such a destructive move left. Athena, get at least twenty meters away from me or I cannot guarantee your safety."

Athena jumps back, leaving a gap of thirty meters with her ally. Said ally starts to chant his final verse, the attack that must finish this battle.

"Thunder! Grow dark and become blackened, incinerate your enemies!" As the words are spoken Alexandre uses the offensive mode of his authority. Giving up his godspeed for half a day he summons lightning as black as the night itself, which is trying to reduce everything it hits to cinders.

Normally the thunder would hit everything around him in a large radius, but due to [Weird Greed] this authority now takes on the form of a sphere, with the thunder going directly towards the black hole.

And who is standing in between Gascoigne and the black hole? Only Lancelot, who receives the full brunt of this authority.

It is an authority as powerful as Godou's [White Stallion], perhaps even more powerful. Therefore Lancelot can scream out as much as he wants, there will be nothing left after the thunder stops discharging!

"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" But Lancelot does not scream or falter. No, he only lets out a mad laughter.

"Athena, it seems that both of our allies are giving trouble to us!" Instead of sounding defeated he now sounds more as if he has secured his own victory. "Gascoigne, did you forget that this knight rules over lightning? I will not be defeated by my own domain!"

Lancelot, while definitely looking worse for the wear, did not die. Instead, he absorbed around half of the attack to power himself up!

"With this newfound energy I will break free, and slay you two once and for all!" Gascoigne has used all of his authorities but [The Labyrinth]. He will be easy pickings now for Lancelot, unable to alter the battle. And Athena, while a worthy opponent, is still a goddess of earth facing Lancelot's steel. The moment Lancelot breaks out, it will be his absolute victory!

Can the duo still stop this war god?

-x-

"Haaah… hah…" What the hell was that? Shizuka sits with her back to the wall of a collapsed house, having been thrown a couple of meters back by the force of the arrow. Only through sheer luck did she survive, the arrow going off course because it was deflected by the stone, hitting her in her lung instead of her heart.

Breathing is painful, let alone speaking. Moving hurts… in fact, everything hurts. That arrow, while luckily not coated in poison or something like that, is still a decisive blow. Gwalchmei has an open shot at Shizuka. He just has to fire a second arrow and he wins.

But Gwalchmei does not do that. Instead of firing an arrow he walks forward, walking towards his opponent. Oh yes, Shizuka remembers, he did say that he can only use it once.

"To think that even this bow, my strongest authority, could not finish you in one blow… your tenacity is great, even greater than that of the cockroaches hiding in their little holes." Shizuka would like to retort to that insult, but those words are not worth it.

With every step Gwalchmei takes his body seems to deform, slightly liquefying and turning into some sort of goo. The body gets less humanoid with every step, but still he continues walking. "Then this is still not an absolute victory for me. While many would call harming the enemy without getting harmed yourself a victory, it will not pass in this situation. A situation in which the loser lives and the winner dies is not the type of ridicule I want to go through again."

The steps keep deforming the warrior, but proudly he keep his weapon in hand. "Therefore I shall split up this battle: The first part, the battle of glory and strength: I shall decree my obvious victory, as I defeated you in battle. I assume you have no objections there?"

Victory or loss. Those are not things Shizuka holds much meaning to. As long as Shizuka gets what she wants it doesn't matter if that action gets called a victory or a loss. The original goal, to prevent Guinevere from reaching her king, was fulfilled before this battle begun. In this fight with Gwalchmei she had only one goal: survive. Because in this first part of battle she hasn't been killed yet Shizuka doesn't care how others name it!

"No." With a single short word she acknowledges his victory, something only a proud warrior of steel cares about.

"I expected so. This second battle will be simple: What will happen first? Will I reach your body or will I disappear? That will be the battle of survival." If the former happens then Shizuka will be stabbed by Gwalchmei's last bit of power, killing Shizuka. If the second happens then Shizuka will survive. In other words, this is what will decide true victory or loss for the youngest godslayer!

Gwalchmei continues to walk, his body starting to fall apart. First was the pinky on the left hand, followed by some more fingers falling off and turning into lifeless water.

The deity continues to walk, and loses his bow. The arm that used to carry it cannot hold the weight anymore, so it drops off and falls on the ground. The bow itself, in all its victorious splendor, turns dull before becoming dust.

But still Gwalchmei continues to walk, each step shortening the distance between the two. Twenty meters, fifteen meters, ten meters. At that moment something lucky happens for Shizuka: The right leg breaks off, causing the deity to fall over as his leg turns into liquid.

"So it seems that I have lost the final part." Setting himself in a normal sitting position Gwalchmei decides to hold a final conversation with his opponent. "And now you live on, filled with the shame of defeat for the rest of your life. Truly, what a remarkable world this has become where the victor dies and the loser survives."

"Really? I live." What determines victory is whether or not the set goals have been accomplished. So Shizuka did not lose. She won.

"You live?" Gwalchmei asks, misunderstanding those words spoken. "What good does living do after losing your honor? That is surely a fate worse than death."

"Heh." Honor? Such a thing does not exist. If anything, the only time honor needs to be used if it will positively affect this or future battles. Shizuka simply smirks at her opponent, a taunt that tells Gwalchmei everything he needs to know. To clarify Shizuka even gives a short summary: "I managed to keep myself alive, while you die. Goodbye, god from India."

"What?" He understands. For this woman victory was never about besting your opponent. The victory conditions of this match are abnormal, the only rule being that victory or loss is decided by the death of Shizuka. The first part, the battle of strength, would only give Shizuka the nationality of the strongest steel, and even without winning she managed to extract that data! Gwalchmei had been completely lost in the pleasure of fighting, forgetting what he was aiming for! "No, it can't be!" Absolutely unthinkable! Did she really?

"In fact, I can even guess what you'll say next:" Huh, so speaking when injured does hurt less if you talk a lot… or perhaps this is the adrenaline kicking in? "Now you will say my name, before asking me if I planned this honorless victory from the very beginning."

"Kusanagi Shizuka! Did you truly cast away your honor to devise this scheme?" Gwalchmei looks confused, realizing that he said exactly what was predicted. He starts laughing, now understanding what truly transpired on this battlefield. "Incredible! You truly did play me for a fool! To think that you had me from the very beginning!"

Shizuka stays silent, not answering the question. Of course she didn't plan this, and only though interpersonal skills could she somewhat guess Gwalchmei's next line. If she really could plan all this then she would've planned a less painful victory. However, leaving Gwalchmei in awe will buy her precious seconds that will prevent her own demise.

"Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic, Kusanagi Shizuka! Truly, you are a worthy opponent, a warrior I will happily exchange blows with!" The end is neigh for Gwalchmei, so he spends his last words as a promise before parting ways: "I had a good battle, and you survived; because we both won I shall call this battle a draw." Gwalchmei is a surprisingly sore loser, or perhaps this is just his point of view. In Shizuka's this is simply Gwalchmei altering his goal so he can say he didn't fail. Perhaps that is why that arrow of certain victory failed, it's because his own drive to win faltered. "This one's name is Karna, son of Surya! Remember it well, for next time I shall descend in full splendor against you, facing a you who is even more experienced!"

Having spoken that he turns his head southwards, toward the place Lancelot is fighting his opponents.

"Lancelot, what will you do? Your ally has fallen, so will you run like the coward you are and go rouge? Can it be, will you be unable to give your all for Guinevere's goal? Will you go crazy like the rabid dog you are? Do not disappoint your allies once more, betrayer!"

Wow… rather harsh words to end your live with.

"My apologies you had to hear that, rakshasa monarch." At least he apologizes for this outburst. "Those words had to be spoken. So until later. I can feel it, our second battle will definitely come!"

Gwalchmei, or Karna, melts completely, and even the consciousness is gone. With this it is finally, truly over. It was close, but Shizuka just came out on top. Now only one question is left:

Who will take care of Shizuka's wounds? That arrow was really painful!

With great pain Shizuka stands up, blood trickling from the chest wound. "Gah!" Immediately she falls on one knee, the pain overcoming her. Really, what an annoying battle this was. It left her completely exhausted. If only she kept [Wood] then she could've used that stone to heal herself. [Earth] would work fine too… actually, most of them can be used in some way to heal her. Is there no simple and quick way to heal herself?

"Shizuka-san!" That voice! From the sky a girl clad in blue light descends, her shape giving away who it is. Good, it seems that she already mastered flight magic.

"Fuyuhime… you're late, the battle is already over." There's an old saying that the cavalry always arrives late on the scene, and once more it seems to be the case.

"Sorry, sorry." Hurriedly she apologizes for her tardiness, but that is something that isn't that important right now. "More importantly, you're wounded! What kind of deity was that?"

"We can talk about that later, when I'm in a bit of a better shape." Currently Shizuka's mind is focused on getting off the battlefield and having her health restored to acceptable levels. Things like clarification of the previous fight can wait until after that. "Say, do you know any healing spells? It would be much appreciated."

"Ah, of course, I didn't study magic for nothing!" Fuyuhime starts to chant some sort of spell, no doubt for curing Shizuka's condition. The Campione doesn't really listen to the exact words, simply waiting until the spell kicks in.

And waits…

And waits…

But nothing happens.

"Fuyuhime, are you sure you didn't make any mistakes?" Shizuka asks, slightly annoyed by this failure.

"No, I didn't!" the witch shouts out, certain of her success. "It simply won't work! I try to heal you, but your body rejects i-oh, I see." Fuyuhime already understands why it her spell doesn't succeed. "Shizuka-san, you do remember that Campione have an innate resistance to all mortal magic? That includes healing spells too."

"Oh fantastic." To think that her own powers would work against her. Shizuka sits down on the ground, lessening the amount of pain that her wound is causing her. "Is there no way to bypass it?"

"W-Well…" Fuyuhime starts to blush, and awkwardly looks away. "…there is one way to bypass it."

"And that is?"

"Y-you see, this magic resistance normally functions like a layer around the Campione. If the spell comes from the inside, then it won't be hindered, unless the Campione actively tries to resist it."

"So what would be the quickest way to help me?" The sentence is spoken with slight annoyance, as Shizuka is not interested in a teaching of magic. Damn it, she just wants to be healed!

"Potions still work, but I'm not carrying any right now and it takes a lot of time to make them. And well… there… there's a-also… ehm… well…"

"Stop stuttering and get out with it."

"A kiss!" Fuyuhime shouts out, almost startled.

"A kiss?" That's the dumbest thing Shizuka has ever heard. Really, if Godou were a Campione, which luckily he isn't, then he would heavily abuse this knowledge. Perhaps he would even gain an authority that he can only use after being kissed by one of his many girlfriends.

"Y-Yes, a k-k-kiss!" Fuyuhime nervously complies. "If I orally inject the spell then I can bypass the magic resistance!"

"So what are you waiting for? Kiss me."

"B-But… this…"Fuyuhime is fiddling with her fingers, not willing to take that step. "this will be my first kiss."

"…" Really, a first kiss. Setting aside the fact that Fuyuhime is twenty-one, this is not the time to think about saving your first kiss.

"In case you didn't notice, I have a hole in my chest." Shizuka points to the lack of tissue just right of her heart. "And trust me, it hurts. A lot. So kiss me already."

"B-But don't you want your first kiss to be special?"

"It doesn't count. Think of it as rescue breathing, we both know it has nothing to do with love."

"S-Still… I w-"

"Kiss me!" Shizuka shouts out, a decision she soon regrets as she finds out that unlike talking shouting hurts a real damn lot.

Fuyuhime now finally complies, having mentally prepared herself and the spell, and kisses Shizuka on the mouth.

After the kiss Shizuka stands up, feeling a bit better. The spell is already working, the wound closing bit by bit. Of course, it's not some sort of instant miracle cure, but by tomorrow she will probably be completely cured.

The Renjou heir looks with relief at the recovery of the one she swore fealty to, but also worries for what else is happening. After all, there's still a battle going on down at the coast. "So what are we going to do next? Are we going to help in the other battle?"

Shizuka looks at her subordinate, and without thinking gives the only reply possible. "Leave them be, we're getting out of here!"

-x-

 _ACAL {6} region, France, dusk._

When it is close to midnight in Japan it is still early afternoon in western Europe. So while it has been a few hours after Guinevere and Gwalchmei's final demise the sun has yet to go down in France. Considering that the sun is already setting this won't take long anymore.

The residents in France usually don't go out of their way to visit the streets this time of year. There's no comfy and snowy winter wonderland yet, and to make it worse it's raining, making this the weather no one but dogs would go out in.

But even with this horrible weather there are some people outside. Four mages from Salzburg's magic association, the [Garde Impérial], are forced to traverse a forest several miles south of their city.

"Shit, I slipped! My entire leg is soaked!" The first member is a giant of a man, almost reaching two meters tall and so muscled you could grind meat on his abs. Dressed in a raincoat he is clearly not happy about this trip.

And why would he be? Instead of sitting at home and drinking a good wine he is forced to traverse this forest to investigate some sort of magic disturbance that appeared.

"Ugh, why the hell do we have to invest this disturbance now?!" The second member, a young woman still in her teens, answers back. "Couldn't the [Garde Impérial] have waited until tomorrow, when the weather forecast said that it would be dry?"

"You're entirely right, Nicolette!" The first man replies again. "Fuck our association for making these stupid decisions!"

"Shut up, Ancil." The third member and leader of the group replies. A woman nearing her forties, she's still as fit as a fiddle. "You should know that clothes can be dried, and you won't die from water… well, non-magical water like this. On the other hand, if this disturbance is actually bad then the lives of dozens of innocents comes in danger."

"Jeannie, I know that the lives of many people is in danger, but why did they have to send us on this mission? Sure, we're all decently strong mages, Three heretic mages and Nicolette the hime-miko all trained for combat; However, we're powerless before deity or king, and we are too slow to be real scouts. At the very least we should've been taught a spell that deflects rain!"

"The spell that protects you from rain is called a raincoat." Jeannie replies almost mechanically. "And as for this mission the disturbance was only for a short while before disappearing, probably a mistake from a mage. If it was something divine they would be a lot more open about it, not hiding in this forest but arrogantly displaying their might."

"Even so, the anti-rain spell would've been damn useful." Nicolette complains. Her coat, which should repel water, has suffered from such an onslaught that the clothes underneath it are also wet. "At the very least we could've gotten some rain-repelling clothing. It would've been quite useful."

"Then if you can write a report to the commission about the potential advantages rain-repelling clothes have over clothes that do not in both combat and reconnaissance then perhaps for future missions these type of clothes can be manufactured and equipped for battles like this. Until then keep walking and stop complaining!"

"Yes ma'am…" Nicolette lets out in an angry murmur. As if she is going to work on some extra unnecessary homework. Let someone else solve that problem if they want to!

"We're here." The last member of the group, a silent man with a dark complexion speaks up. He doesn't talk often, only speaking when it is important.

"Good work Abdel." Jeannie speaks up. She enters an open area, where a few ruins indicate that some kind of building used to stand here.

"Say, look at that mural over there." Ancil speaks up, walking over to around a mural of which only a square foot is left. "Hoc templum fundavit in honore… and the rest is unreadable."

"In other words, this place used to be a temple dedicated to some deity, correct?" Jeannie concludes, easily understanding what was said. Not that that is special, because all four of them are well-versed in Latin. "Okay, let's split up. Nicolette, Abdel, you search in the northern section of this place. Ancil, we examine the south. In fifteen minutes we will meet up again in this spot."

The group splits in duos as commanded and start searching.

After ten minute of fruitless search it is Nicolette who seems to have found something: In the far north, lying on a low mound in the ground, is a circular disk no larger than Nicolette's palm. It is made from an alloy of bronze and gold, and three swords are engraved on this medallion.

Can this be the source of the sudden magic fluctuation? She picks up this item, wondering about what it can be. Perhaps a minor grimoire, uncovered by a whim of nature?

The stone feels natural in her hand, and believing to have found the cause she calls over Abdel for confirmation.

"You found it?" He asks, wanting to see why he was called out. Nicolette doesn't say a word, but simply walks up to Abdel and shows the medallion.

Abdel examines the metal disk, looking at it carefully and sensing its energy. "Perhaps you are right, this might b-" before Abdel can say more he notices his body falling to the ground, and all sense in his lower body is gone.

No it is not that he lost his senses. He has been split cleanly in half, from his left shoulder to his right side, straight through the heart! A fatal blow, caused by none other than the woman in front of her. Only one words goes through his mind before he dies: "Why…"

Nicolette looks at her victim with pure disinterest, as if she just squashed a bug. Her left hand still bloody from the cut, she simply decides to look up in the sky. "So it seems that that faker has died. Still, I cannot say that Guinevere's sacrifice for her master is ugly, but of course such a fake is doomed to fail when compared to the original." No, this is not Nicolette anymore. This is a divine spirit possessing the hime-miko!

The goddess sits down on the mount, musing about her own future. "So now that that child has failed she wants me to take up her torch and awaken the [King of the End]. Hmm… an interesting proposal. Creating an era without godslayers, it sounds quite fun to make that. Perhaps I would deny if I were a goddess of earth, but since that is not my domain I guess that I have no reason not to help. Very well, Guinevere. This goddess has decided to wake up that man you call king, and bring in a new era. It's not like I have anything better to do."

The goddess stands up, hearing some noise from the other side of what was once her temple. "Of course, I need to gather some allies first for my own plans. I cannot let that [Steel] hog all the fun and glory." She puts the metal disk in one of the raincoat's pockets and starts walking to the voices. "I see that the flow of the sang real _{7}_ points towards a human settlement close by. It's time to pay that city a visit." Of course, that action can only be done after one more thing is solved:

A few human pests are desecrating her temple, and need to be… exterminated.

-x-

{1} Trimurti: The three Hindu top gods, Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

{2} Great grandmother of water: This is the titaness Tethys, a titaness and the foremost sea goddess in Greek myth.

{3} Vayu: Hindu lord of the winds, and also the one responsible for human breathing.

{4} Kshatriya: The ruling and military elite. Their role is to protect society in wartime and govern it in the more peaceful times.

{5}: This mantra translates to: "O three-eyed one, we worship the fragrant, the prosperous, the restorer. I am bound down, liberate me from the bounds of death. Give me some rejuvenating nectar of life!" Used by Karna to call upon Shiva the destroyer to power up his final authority.

{6} ACAL: Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Loraine, The north-eastern region of France. This name is temporary, as the French people are still voting for a new official name.

{7} Sang Real: French for royal blood, here it is intrinsically bound to the knights of the round table. Now what could that divine spirit be planning with this?

-x-

Gwalchmei, or Karna as I should call him, is basically the Athena for this story: A powerful deity who gets some personal bonding with the main character, eventually leading to a personal duel between the two. As you can guess Karna is one of the swords in the bronze-golden disk, which allows him to be resummoned when this story reaches the fight between the godslaying kings and the kingslaying god.

My first thought when creating this deity (which goes for all Hindu deities) is how to balance this god out. Because seriously, Hindu myth is severely overpowered to the point they aren't even fun to make deities out anymore! I feel bad for every other author trying to include a Hindu deity, and advice against them to do so.

Luckily for me Karna made a promise never to attack with the same celestial weapon twice, which can be read as "can only use each authority once". Combine it with some restrictions and we have basically the Godou of the gods. Now doesn't that sound like the perfect opponent for Shizuka?

I have only one regret with Karna: I originally wanted to make a short interlude in which both Shizuka and Karna complain about their brothers, the former's suffering from polygamy and the latter's from polygyny. Sadly enough that never happened. Perhaps I can introduce that later?

For the other deity introduced in this chapter… She's the overarching villain, the grand evil for Shizuka's story. If Kusanagi Shizuka is the addition to team Campione, then this goddess is the addition to team Rama.

As told, she's not a mother earth goddess, but rather that which Guinevere tried to be. The original name of this deity is still a secret, but now she goes under the alias of [Blanchefleur]. Perhaps this hints towards the true identity of this goddess.

But let us not concentrate on them and look at the future. Shizuka's battle is over after this chapter. So what will fill up chapter six then? Well, there's the end of Lancelot versus Gascoigne and Athena, some aftermath… nothing really that important, but still interesting to read.


	6. The final rematch

_Eighteenth of November, close to midnight_

"Hoho, this knight will perform his final charge, obliterating all in his path! One thanks you for this final boost of strength, Gascoigne! One will use it well to exterminate your existence!"

Lancelot is escaping the black hole, his speed increasing bit by bit. The black prince has no authorities left for killing, and Athena too lacks simple instantaneous murder tools to dispatch of this knight before he starts his devastating charge.

Is this the end?

"Glorious lord of the sun, Mithra be praised!"

What's this? Athena looks around her, recognizing both the authority used and the owner of said authority. This power, there's only one king who wields that divine power: only her sworn nemesis, the seventh king who usurped the powers of Verethragna!

"That troublesome horse… Kusanagi Godou!" Shouting out the name of her greatest opponent she tries to discern why he showed up on the battlefield. Why would that king be here?

Okay, stupid question, why wouldn't he try to defend the city he lives in? Still, Athena did not expect him to enter the battlefield like this. Normally he's a lot more passive and reluctant to fight.

"To conquer all enemies, pray bestow upon my strongest self thousands of lights and thousands of swords!"

It is close to midnight, and Athena's [Darkness] decreases the brightness even further, until it becomes impossible for normal mortals to see more than a few meters ahead. But now, after a long night of battle rays of light shine on the horizon, taking the form of morning sun. Quickly it rises to the top of the sky, before plummeting downwards to incinerate the enemies of the user.

But who is it aimed at? Is Kusanagi Godou an ally or an enemy? Not even Athena can directly gaze into the sun, so she doesn't know the exact direction of the attack.

In that case defensive measures should be taken just in case. Summoning the legendary [Aegis] she creates a defense that should even be able to stop this authority!

Athena waits and waits, but there is no pressure placed upon her shield. In fact, someone else seems to be crying from the pain:

"Nuooooh! To be sneaked upon like this, one certainly failed to expect such tactics!" Instead of Athena being attacked it is Lancelot who gets swallowed whole by the enemy. Kusanagi Godou has joined Athena's side in the battle against Lancelot!

Eventually the flames burn out, leaving no traces of the war god. The attack was so powerful that the white knight couldn't even give some final parting words. Gascoigne, noting that his battle is over with the white knight's demise, deactivates his black hole.

"Kusanagi Godou, this goddess is pleased to see thee once more!" Athena speaks these words with a happy voice, sounding as if she is meeting a good friend. She walks over to Godou, who is also moving towards his nemesis with a brisk pace.

"Well I most certainly am not." Godou on the other hand mainly looks annoyed, irritated that he is pulled once more in a supernatural event. It has only been fifteen days since his incident with true lord Erlang, barely the length of an average vacation. If there is anyone toying with Godou's fate, can he please make this the last supernatural event of this year? "There are gods and Campione making a ruckus in my town, forcing me into a struggle I have no interest in."

Yuri, Liliana and Ena are standing beside their lord, but as expected Athena completely ignores them. Instead it is Alexandre Gascoigne who enters the conversation: "Kusanagi Godou." With a stern look he examines the self-proclaimed pacifist. "So, why did you decide to go against your claims of pacifism and suddenly help us in this battle? Did you perhaps finally shed your hypocrisy?"

Godou simply glares at Gascoigne, already understanding that mutual friendship with this man is impossible. He focuses his attention on his mortal rival, who might be arrogant but at least there's some form of shared respect for one another.

"Someone called me on my phone and told me what exactly was going on here." Thank you Renjou Fuyuhime for giving a detailed analysis. Otherwise there might have been a chance that Godou would join forces with Lancelot and accidentally caused an unneeded awakening. "I want to keep the supernatural to a minimum here in Japan, so of course I would side against those planning to resurrect some ultimate god."

According to what Fuyuhime told him the battle going on at the coast of Tokyo bay is between those for and against the resurrection of the so-called "strongest steel". Naturally Godou chooses against the resurrection of troublesome deities, meaning that he prefers joining the battle as Athena's reinforcements rather than facing against her.

Having chosen sides it is natural to fight against the ones you haven't sided with, in this case delivering a final blow on the knight of the lake. Obviously Pandora does not grant Godou a new authority for such a kill, but the number of authorities they possess is not something any of the kings care about, least of all Godou. All that is left is to talk it out with the winning party.

"Kusanagi Godou, this goddess wishes to finish our battle once and for all." However, Athena is not interested in mere talk. Her time is limited after all, so her life should end with a grand fight against her archenemy! "Come, takest up thy blade, and let us duel!"

"Like hell I will! This city has seen enough battle here, and so do I. Now go home, I've no interest in creating future trouble."

"Fu…" Athena sighs, looking with disappointment at her rival. "Thy face looketh quite unspirited. Insufficient, completely insufficient. Thou art not a warrior of the battlefield in that state, a ludicrous shame for all kings."

"Shut up, Athena. I've no interest in your idiotic Iron Age policies. The only thing ludicrous here is your desire for battle!" Godou gestures his girls to retreat, realizing that battle will probably happen. Stay back and wait for an opportunity to help. That's the best strategy against the likes of gods or kings.

"Then one shall simply awaken thy lust for bloodshed." Athena's eyes turn pitch black, a sign that she has activated her mystic eyes of petrification. "Bearers of lingering life, all shall cease activity completely! Ye shall be vanquished here!"

It starts under the feet of Athena, where the sand turns into natural grey stone. Godou realizes what Athena is doing, and raises his magical capacity. If there is one weakness about Athena's eyes it is that a Campione can resist them by raising his magical capacity. Godou is unaffected, just like Gascoigne.

However, they are not the only ones still standing here. Looking behind him Godou tries to scream at the trio that followed him to get as far away as possible… but it is too late: Yuri has turned into a beautiful stone sculpture. Ena turned into a stone sculpture fitting right in with nature. Liliana too turned into a fairy-like sculpture.

"Hoho… thy expression… 'tis better. Not enough, but better nonetheless." Athena simply laughs as she sees Godou's look on his face. She couldn't care less about those pawns of her enemy, but if they can be used to wake his lingering aggression then of course she will manipulate them in her favor.

"Of course. I'm not some kind of saint, but if you attack me I will strike back. Now I will do everything I can to drive you out of this country."

"Fool!" Athena shouts, mocking the ridicule of the king in front of her. "Drive out? Why canst thou utter words like slay or exterminate?!"

"It's my way of doing things! You've got no right to complain, Athena, even if you are a goddess of war!"

Athena simply stares at the ocean to her side, turning the sea into a stone plain. "Then one cannot avert anymore. Kusanagi Godou: One proposes a final duel, held on this sea of stone. One promises, this goddess shall neither rampage nor destroy the lands thou holds. Thy form of battle is surely still possible, but rememberest the damage to the surroundings, including the destruction of any near… statues." Spoken with a devilish charm the last word comes out of Athena's mouth, a word that holds a meaning Godou knows all too well:

This place will be destroyed by battle, and there is a chance that one or multiple of the girls following Godou will get literally shattered during the fight.

"Kusanagi Godou." The one who thus far stayed mostly silent speaks up. "Let go of your hypocrisy and duel Athena. I'll make sure that your followers will stay unharmed and recover." Gascoigne is basically giving Godou a thumbs up for this battle, as it will be the final step for the black prince to obtain his lifelong goal.

Godou dislikes this fellow Campione, but does thank him for taking care of the girls. Accepting the duel with Athena both prepare themselves for what will be their final battle.

-x-

The two duelists move to the middle of the lake, a short leisurely walk as a final calm before the storm. Most of the route is silent, but Godou has one question left:

"Athena, there's something that strikes me as odd."

"Hoh? Prayest tell, Kusanagi Godou, what is it thou percievest?"

"What isn't? Why do you challenge me already? Why are you specifically creating an area that prevents harm to the people living here?" Okay, Godou does not mind the latter at all, but it is still strange to him. Something about miss "When a god dueleth a god-slayer, 'tis only natural for the people to be sacrificed" actively trying to involve humanity as little as possible in this fight is still very weird to Godou.

"Correct. One seest that thou art not yet a fletched king, and one would wait for thy ripening. However, one lost time, and cannot exist thus for long. As this goddess hast lost her immortal body, doomed for death, 'tis only natural one lives without regret and finishes what was started."

"You're dying?" Godou wonders in surprise. He did not expect that something like that would've occurred. "How did that happen?"

"Unaware one is of thy desire for old tales. Fu, time existeth for such simple talk." Athena starts to explain about what occurred starting from nearly a month ago. Her fight with Lancelot back in Europe, how she got the grail stuck inside of her, and that it drains her life energy until she dies. "This goddess fearest death nor demise, long one dies without regrets. Perhaps one lastest not even to tomorrow, so today our epic shall meet decisive end."

"I… see." As much as Godou dislikes it Athena does not seem to want anything less than a full duel to the death. If the seventh king had a choice he would try to find a way to get out of this without fighting, but for now he should focus on one last point: "So Athena, why are you not rampaging in the city itself?"

"Fufu…" Interesting to tell, but there's no time for that anymore. "Deemest that a maiden's secret." The playfulness with which she spoke those words are not something Godou has seen before on this trinity queen. "Dost thou not see this place, here thou performest thy final duel with this goddess!"

Athena backs a few feet away from Godou, the sign that the duel has started.

"Sure, then I won't hold back either." Godou raises his magical energy, chanting the first verse of his battle hymn: "By the skill with which I wield spell words, may justice of the world manifest!"

"A cold tombstone that befits ye! That shall be this goddess' blessing bestowed!"

Athena too activates her spell word of [Petrification]. Normally these have no effect on a king, but if supplied with the full power of a deity then things like temporary partial petrification of a king or god is entirely possible.

The radius of petrified ocean becomes even larger, now affecting even the beaches closest to the duel. Even the air feels heavier than before, like it consolidated into lifeless mass.

"Now then, sleep. Simply wait to awaken at dream's end. However, one shall imprison ye in an eternal dream!"

How absurdly ridiculous those spell words sound! Godou absolutely cannot lose here!

"As the mighty and indomitable one, I shall vanquish all evildoers!"

Thousands of glowing spheres appear, filling the sky like the stars of the night. For the sake of defeating Athena the slayer of Verethragna prepares his sword of spell words. When Godou learned that Athena was part of the chaos he made sure to prepare knowledge for the sake of a possible battle. After all, what country only starts producing weapons after war has been announced?

"I know, Athena! Your past, your ugly myth, I know them all too well! How the queen of the pantheon, once a mother earth goddess, was overthrown by a new generation and forced to become the daughter of the new king! How the mother earth goddess was warped into the form of a monster, Medusa the gorgon! Snakes and petrification; these powers have been taken away from you, and given form to an evil that heroes slay!"

The sword is forged, a blade for the sake of slay Athena's [Evil Gaze]. Those authorities from Medusa will not hold sway any longer and will soon be sealed for this battle. The waves of divine power begin to be cut, severed, slashed and pierced by Godou's authority, greatly diminishing any effect they would have without harming the seventh king.

"Correct, Kusanagi Godou. However, thou art careless, openly playing this card! Dost thou think one hast not prepared counters for this trick?"

During the first battle Athena was outraged by the mere mentioning of her ugly past. But now… now her face shows a smug grin, as if she was expecting this. "Thy blade hast been crafted to slay Medusa. However, one is both Medusa and Athena. To wipe thee from existence, these two goddesses are separated once more!"

Next to Athena a second Athena manifests. This one looks like the prepubescent form of Athena, but she is equally dangerous.

If Godou's [Warrior] has one weakness then that has to be its inflexibility to attack multiple targets. Only one authority can be slain, so now that Athena has split in two he will be defenseless against at least one of the two!

"One is Athena, goddess representing darkness. Master of the underworld as queen of the night."

"One is Medusa, goddess blessing the land. Master of the stone chamber as queen of the earth."

"As such, humbly acceptest the curse bestowed by this goddess. Kindly turnst into an ice-cold corpse and layst thyself in the Underworld."

"As such, humbly acceptest the blessing bestowed by this goddess. Kindly turnst into an ice-cold statue and returnst thyself to ash and dust."

[Death], the grim reaper that sends everyone to the grave. This annoying power of Athena is the most dangerous of the two, capable of killing Godou even if he raises his magical resistance to the limit! Once infected by that curse the only cure is the [Ram], which will leave him open for several hours.

The [Warrior] should be used to seal that. However, his blade is currently crafted for vanquishing the [Eyes of Petrification]. While switching is possible it creates a burden on Godou of significant level that his magic defenses drop to the point where Athena's evil gaze can completely turn him to stone.

Either die or be turned into stone. Neither option is favorable to Godou. Perhaps if his allies were here they could provide backup to help him out of this peril. What can he do now that he is alone?

"King, since when are you alone? Use me!" Words spoken from inside Godou, he recognizes it as his second authority, the Kusanagi Ame no Murakamo no Tsurugi! "I shall deal with those words of death!"

Godou mentally nods, accepting the help from the ally unaffected by Athena.

"Blade of the wind! The divine metal of destruction!" Placing his golden sword in his left hand he summons his second authority in his right.

Ame no Murakamo. A divine blade that can copy authorities in its presence. Yes, Godou understands the plan that his blade is planning. A wave of death is approaching Japan's king, intending to turn him into a lifeless corpse.

To kill death one will use death. Ame no Murakamo copies that power given off by heretic Athena, becoming a blade infused with the power of death. A horizontal swing at this evil energy cuts it apart, literally killing it with the divine blade's power.

Another wave comes, this one from Medusa's stone gaze. Now Godou swings the sword in his left hand vertically, and three golden spheres drop down and sever through this power.

One blade in his left for countering [Stone]. One blade in his right for countering [Death]. With the Japanese sword guiding him in combat he is now dual-wielding these powers again the powers of Athena.

"Fu… one should've expected another usurpation of thee." The younger-looking of the two goddesses speaks, quirking an eyebrow out of interest.

"Thou hast obtained the blade of thy land's trickster. Congratulations are in order for that feat." Now the older of the two deities speaks up, and like a true goddess she somehow finds time in this important battle to compliment her opponent. Well, it's not like this is such a major setback for the goddess. Better to discover this newest authority now then to have it as a deadly surprise late in the battle.

They absurdity of this entire situation is nearly overwhelming Godou, so he decides to end this now before Athena can perform another one of her tricks:

"O sword, shine with brilliance for the sake of my victory and justice!" Accelerating the sword he performs an all-out attack on the older form of Athena, the one that wields the [Eyes of Petrification]. While [Death] may be more harmful to Godou it is the stone gaze that is holding the surroundings hostage. What if Athena suddenly decided to undo all of her petrification to trap Godou in the sea? While Campiones are granted multiple great attributes on ascension there's nothing that allows him to walk on water.

For that reason Godou seals the [Eyes of Petrification], preventing Athena from altering the battlefield in her favor.

Athena and Medusa fuse together once more to form a single adolescent goddess, one who is chanting the next verse of her attack:

"O Shadow, submergest. Sing of death, guide death, dance to death; Become Athena's servant, the underworld's messengers of death!"

As the words are spoken Athena's shadow turns into nine copies, and each of them changes into a snake of ten meters long. Nine snakes surround Athena, all attached with their tails to the goddess' back as if they were an extra arm, petals of a voracious flower. With this omnidirectional attacks can be executed, making even the strongest defense meaningless!

While the [Warrior] may offer some battle instinct it is useless in this situation, as it has already sealed an authority. Something else is needed to continue the fight, and Godou knows exactly what.

A strong human could generate at best a pressure of around 760 psi with his strongest attack. These snakes of inhuman length can create a pressure of 4800 psi with their jaws, far stronger then what a human can do.

In other words, because of this overwhelming power that authority becomes available!

"As the one who holds all victory in my hands, I am the strongest. Man and devil; all enemies, all who harbor enmity will be vanquished. Hence I shall smash through all enemies in my way!"

To overpower his enemies Godou has switched to the form of the [Bull]!

Athena may encircle Godou from all sides. Athena may have an overwhelming advantage in skill and combat experience.

But does it matter?

Martial arts exist because humanity is weak, and they wanted to fill in that weakness. Technique is only a deciding factor if the level of strength is comparable. Even if Athena is a goddess, she cannot compare to the power currently flowing through Godou's body!

Godou lets himself get bitten in the arm by one of the snakes, but this allows him to grab the attacking serpent! With ease Godou rips off the lower jaw so it cannot try to bite him anymore. Now that he has a good hold over this monster he throws the snake over his shoulder, and since Athena is attached to the snake from her back she too gets flung in the air.

But Godou does not simply want to throw Athena away. Keeping hold of that jawless snake he slams it downward, throwing Athena with brute force against the concrete sea. And then he does it again. And again. And again. Godou has no intention of letting Athena go that easily.

It lacks finesse, technique, or anything else to optimize the damage dealt. However, with such overwhelming strength Godou is pretty sure that he is hurting Athena, considering that the stone waves form a small crater every time he smashes Athena into it. As a certain green-skinned hulk would say:

Godou smash puny goddess!

Athena tries to limit the damage from Godou's wild swings. First she tries to cushion the attack by placing her snakes of darkness in between herself and the ground, and while it may have slightly lessened the damage it also destroyed two of the snakes, meaning that in three more swings Godou has immobilized Athena's entire authority before he can simply swing Athena many more times into the ground. That will not do.

Second option, attack Godou with the remaining snakes. The tides of battle have turned, and Godou is on the offensive. Athena must regain the initiative in battle. Bracing herself for a single blow to the ground she orders her remaining snakes to attack Godou. Now he is forced to let loose, and Athena can attac-did he just grab a second snake?

Oh shit.

Now able to swing with both arms the attack has become even more powerful. With destructive force Godou slams Athena into the ground, increasing her number of injuries even more.

Athena now admits that this round was her absolute defeat. Just before Godou can slam Athena into the stone sea again she dismisses her authority, causing her to be flung a few hundred meters away. With pain she stands up, realizing the damage that Godou has done. Some broken bones, some large bruises, a few internal organs are performing suboptimal, and a very, very large amount of pain.

No, this time Athena chose poorly. She needs a new plan of attack for facing her eternal rival. She has been made painfully aware that getting close with Godou while he is using the [Bull] is foolish. Instead, Athena must make sure to snipe him from a distance!

There is only one problem with that idea: Athena's favorite long-ranged attack, arrows infused with the power of petrification, has been sealed by Godou's golden sword. While Athena has quite the number of authorities only some are useful in battle and even less are long-ranged weapons. As great as her powers over weaving and olive trees are they do not belong on a battlefield!

On second thought, there's… that. As much as she despises to use that authority it cannot compare to her will to defeat Godou. To win she will use this authority!

"Athena Hippeia Tritogenia _{1}_. One acceptest thy mockery, sea god. This goddess alterest her very being, so grant weapons upon this warrior!"

In front of Athena a large turquoise chariot appears, with 4 white horses in front of it. Athena's clothing also changes, her chiton changing into a panoply _{2}_ , a golden helmet appears over her head and golden greaves decorated with blue cloth cover her legs. On her left arm a large shield appears, differing from the Aegis Godou has seen before, and in her right hand appears a long trident.

Athena has called upon another aspect of her legend. While temporarily sealing the powers of goddess of the underworld Athena and goddess of earth Medusa she gained the powers of her sea-born self!

Athena raises her trident in the air, thus causing an earthquake to happen. Godou can feel it, he's standing right at the epicenter. But what is Athena trying to do? It isn't as simple as just trying to perform an earthquake. While it might somewhat unbalance Godou it will not harm him. Since they are fighting on open sea there are also no buildings that could crumble upon Godou, so this tactic is not meant to harm. What could Athena be planning?

Athena steps in her chariot and disappears in a blur. Not good, that chariot can move at divine speeds! Now that Godou's footing is unbalanced by the earthquake not even his instinct allows him to prevent getting stabbed by an attack of Athena.

"Those that are evil, and those that are strong, fear me, for I have wings." If Athena decides to move at those inhuman speeds then the only way to counter it is to do exactly the same! "For my wings will punish you for your curse, and those that are evil will not be able to touch me!"

Switching forms to the [Raptor] Godou can see the world slow down around him. A side effect from using godspeed, this time it allows him to see Athena's chariot clearly. The earthquakes have also been slowed down to the point where they don't affect Godou anymore.

Seen from the world of divine speed Godou estimates that the chariot goes around seven meters per second, a distance that he can easily keep up with. Godou runs to his enemy, passing along the right side of the chariot.

Athena has gained heightened awareness of godspeed, now also able to see Godou moving at those speeds. Yes, she can clearly see him going past her right side, so Athena thrusts her trident in response.

While that stab comes at him with inhuman speed for Godou this is still more like watching an attack in slow-motion. Compared to a normal slash of Athena this is at least four times as slow as it used to be, so the king dodges this blow without any problems.

Now that Godou has passed the chariot it is time to use his ultimate advantage over that contraption: Mobility.

What would the turn radius of that Chariot be? Five meters or so? Way too large compared to a human with a turning radius of zero! Instead of Athena chasing Godou the seventh king has turned the situation completely around!

Best of all, a Greek chariot has no protection at the back, Giving Godou an unobstructed path to hitting Athena!

Summoning the legendary Ame no Murakamo back into his hands Godou swings his blade at his enemy. His blade cannot keep up with his master, its thoughts still outside of the world of godspeed. No, Godou cannot rely on his advice now. His swings are simple and amateurish, but from the eyes of Athena it is coming at inhuman speeds!

With the shield she parries his attacks, not once allowing that sword to taste blood. Even if there is a difference in speed Godou's attack patterns are too simplistic to land a hit on Athena! She even manages to get a few counters in, but with her current speed they are still easily dodged by Godou.

This pattern continues for a while, and as they move at break-neck speeds the battle has turned in one of attrition where Godou is still holding the advantage. However, a small little pang tells him that this won't last forever.

Godou can feel it, the limit of his authority is coming. Sure, he can continue using this form for a while longer but afterwards he will feel the side effects of doing so: extreme chest pain, temporary paralysis; Both are afflictions that will be quickly exploited by Athena.

This high speed battle needs to end soon. Godou must switch forms soon or else he will lose. But what can be used against this divine chariot other than his own divine speed?

Four authorities have already been used. That leaves six powers from Verethragna and the blade that is his second authority.

As Godou thinks about his newest tactic Athena decides to try and stab Godou once more. Godou should be able to easily dodge this attack, but for some reason… he fails?

The trident tastes blood, creating a gaping wound in Godou's left flank. Even Athena looks surprised, not expecting that the first strike of a combo would injure her opponent. If sound was not broken by Godou's perception of the world then he would hear Athena asking: "What is thy problem, Kusanagi Godou?"

The answer to that question: nothing. After all, is there not an authority that is only activated after receiving a major blow?

The seventh king increases the limits of his godspeed even further, now running neck and neck with the horses pulling the chariot. While Athena is preparing to strike Godou in this position the king himself doesn't care at all as he activates his next form:

"For I am gallant, and what is display is the sigil of the fierce camel!"

Switching to the form of the [Camel] Godou loses his divine speed for increased combat abilities, leg strength, battle instinct and recovery. In this form he cannot keep up anymore with that divine chariot of Athena.

But he doesn't need to.

With a single swift kick Godou strike the horse closest to him right in the head, with enough power to turn its brain into a soft mush. Dead on impact, the rest of the momentum causes the chariot to be flown away like a crashing race car.

The divine transportation device makes many spins and turns before eventually coming to a standstill. After a long crash all that remains of the chariot is a wreckage and four dead horses, one missing a head from the original blow.

Athena managed to get off the chariot in time, being uninjured from Godou's sudden attack. However, that does not mean that she is safe as her enemy is coming straight at her!

A leg swings at her side, trying to crush half of the goddess' ribs. Placing her shield between herself and the attack she prevents her body from being broken.

How powerful this attack was. A normal human would die even if he was blocking, and Athena still struggled somewhat with this power.

Again Godou attacks, this time a low kick aimed to crush her legs. With her trident she parries, before trying to stab Godou's heart.

Godou ducks under the spear before launching a counterattack. A flurry of kicks from one side, while Athena defends against these blows while launching several swings of her trident in return.

With her chariot destroyed all Athena has left are the weapons in her hands. While her sea-born self has the largest connection to war, battles and fighting she lacks any form of back-up. Even the power to control earthquakes is useless as using that power leaves Athena open for long enough that Godou can use that opening for a destructive blow.

Athena cannot even easily counterattack. If she manages to obtain mutual destruction with Godou then his [Camel] would allow him to hang on for long enough to see Athena disappear before switching to the [Ram] so he can restore himself to perfect health.

If only she had kept that authority which she used against Godou's [Bull] in reserve, now would be a good time to use that power on this battlefield.

Athena has no direct answers to this form, so she simply keeps trying. This is the best that her sea-born self can do, Athena Hippeia Tritogenia only has the option left to show her battle prowess to the enemy king and try to obtain absolute victory, a ridiculously hard job.

But that's also where Athena realizes what she must do. If it is her current state that prevents her from winning then she needs to discard the useless parts!

"Enough!" Athena bellows out with loud voice. "This farce endest now!" Athena uses a shield bash to force distance between herself and Godou, and now that she has some fractions of a second to spare she can switch from sea-born Athena to earth-born Athena. Her armor switches back to her ordinary chiton, and her trident and shield become her iconic scythe once more. "Kusanagi Godou, this goddess showest ye: One shall reaffirm her rule of the sky!"

Brown, owl-like wing sprout from Athena's back, and she quickly sets off into the sky. Godou tries to chase her, but without any distractions or advantages in favor of the Campione he cannot do anything more than jumping up, getting parried by Athena and landing on the stone sea again.

The higher Athena gets the more difficult it gets for Godou to land a hit. Eventually he lets her do her thing, realizing that he is not going reach her using this form.

"O Messenger of winter! Extendest thy icy-cold hands, and stealest the warmth of life!"

The moment Athena finishes her spell words a violent blizzard begins to blow, with Athena at its center. Dark clouds gather in the sky which blot out the moon and stars, increasing the darkness of night even more in the area.

It is not merely a blizzard. It's the rioting wind of the underworld, turning the area colder than even permafrost. It's magical wind that shatters whatever it touches, its cold coming close to absolute zero.

Even a Campione with excellent resistance would not be able to withstand its full impact.

"Kusanagi Godou, showest this one thy defense against this power!" Taunting words from the Mediterranean queen, who is currently hiding herself in the frozen storm.

The [Camel] doesn't have the reach to attack Athena, nor does it offer any form of defense… but Godou can't help but smile in the face of this adversity.

"Who said I need to defend, Athena, when you're perfectly positioned for me to strike you?" Godou chants new spell words, those that will bring the final destruction of this evil queen:

"O guardian of the righteous, I invite you and offer sacrifice." Athena was absolutely right. Trump cards that you already used in previous battles aren't trump cards anymore.

"O guardian of the righteous, I praise you, and beseech you." During the battle with Athena Godou used [Wind], [Stallion], [Ram] and [Warrior]. Those obviously cannot deal a decisive blow against Athena. Because Athena watched his battle with Perseus [Bull], [Camel], [Boar] and [Raptor] also lost this role.

"One who supports the sky and develops new land, the one who grants victory and grace, I will perform justice, please grant to me the right path and light!" Therefore, the authority most useful for slaying Athena is none other than the [Goat]!

Thunderclouds were already gathered from Athena's blizzard, giving Godou an unlimited supply of weapons to act with. Were he to try and aim at the enemy he would surely miss. How can he hit a person in this storm where he cannot even see ten meters through these dark icy winds? No, the only way to strike Athena is by not aiming at all. Lightning will then take the route downwards with the least resistance, and that path goes straight through the goddess herself!

"Wowowowo!" Athena screams out in pain, realizing what Godou just did. "Of course, Verethragna's [Goat]! To think thou hast such surprises in thy sleeve and then strikest with such tactic, how fitting of thy title of devil king!"

"Shut up, Athena! You bought this all upon yourself with your own destruction, you know!" How many times did Athena use the eyes of petrification today? How many people other than Mariya, Liliana and Seishuuin were turned into stone statues here in Tokyo, wishing for someone to rescue and avenge them? How many people are there in Tokyo who are living in terror because of all the supernatural events around them, wishing for someone to stop all this? Because all these people exist Godou was able to access Verethragna's ninth form, landing these blows on Athena!

The thunder that continues moving down via the easiest road tries to enter the stone ground through Godou, but he doesn't want any of that. Catching the lightning in his hands he uses it to slices apart the blizzard, preventing its icy-cold touch from killing him.

More strikes come from the clouds of lightning, all coursing through Athena. Each blow is meant to kill, and the moment they reach Godou he uses the lightning to destroy the power of this deathly blizzard. Each strike is hurting Athena, destroying her a little more. If this keeps up then Athena is done for!

The wind starts to lose power, and Athena is getting ever closer to death. "This power would be completely unavailable to me if you didn't terrorize this city with all your fighting! If you had acted peacefully I wouldn't be able to beat you right here! You let this oh so important victory of yours slip right out of your hands!"

Suddenly a flash moves at Godou from the inside of the wind. Godou tries to see it for what it is, but in this dark storm visibility is still terrible. It could be dangerous, so the next bolt of lightning Godou receives should be used to exterminate that flash.

The upcoming bolt comes quick, and that flash won't make it. Without prior warning the sky turns clear, revealing the flash aimed at Godou: A worn-out Athena is charging at her enemy. A desperate tactic more fitting for the likes of steel, she is now purely trying to obtain victory.

And the blizzard did not just disappear. No, it is now lined up behind Athena, increasing her speed even more.

The lightning will not make it. Even if it hits Athena she will continue, the damage she takes be damned. Before Godou can catch that bolt and sent it back at Athena she will already have cut him in half.

Dodge it. Dodge Athena's final assault. Her wings are now literally on fire. She is not gliding or flying, she's falling straight at Godou for a final reckless gambit.

Her speed is insane. There is no way she will not hurt herself when she hits the ground. This kind of attack can only be made if survival is not an issue anymore.

But even so, as long as Godou can dodge it he should be fine. While the [Goat] does not hone combat instincts Godou still knows how to perform a dodge roll. Doing a few of those Godou manages to get out of the range of Athena's scythe…

…except that that goddess is still charging right at him. Are those winds of death actually homing in on Godou? This is bad, Athena has entered striking range and Godou didn't manage to evade!

Like the grim reaper Athena swings her scythe at Godou, cutting through tissue and bone to deliver a destructive blow. Athena crash-lands on the stone concrete, rolling a good number of meters away from Godou.

When Athena finally stops moving she stands up, looking with relief and satisfaction at Godou. "And thy victory disappeared with that incessant yapping of thine, Kusanagi Godou."

With this blow the situation became hopeless for the Campione. He entered battle without the [Stallion]. [Bull], [Camel], [Raptor] and [Warrior] have all been used in battle. [Goat] is still active, but Godou is too heavily wounded to keep using it. [Wind], [Youth] and [Ram] have no use for him in this battle, and as long as Athena doesn't summon any large beasts Godou's [Boar] cannot be used either. Not even the sword of the trickster god can save him now.

"Therefore, t'would seem that this goddess hath obtained victory." Athena speaks out, her knowledge as a goddess of war clearly seeing when victory is at hand.

"Yeah, you're right. Today I certainly lost to you." However, even though Godou admits the obvious, why is there still a glimmer in his eyes? Why does he give off the aura of a winner? "While it won't chance this result, there's still one thing you said you didn't succeed at."

"Hoh?" Athena is bemused by this child, her mortal enemy. A mistake? It might be worthwhile to listen to before killing him. The last words of a worthy enemy are never in vain. "Prayest tell, what is this one's wrongdoing?"

"When I first met you today you told me that you wouldn't last another day. Too bad for you, but a new morning has arrived!"

Is that it? Thinking about it, it is true. The hour of the queen of darkness has ended, and the hour of witches _{3}_ began. But why does that matte-Athena realizes it, her mistake! That damned brat pulled a fast one on her!

"For victory, hasten forth before me!" When the clock strikes midnight his authorities return, including that accursed [Stallion]! "O immortal sun, I beseech thee to grant radiance to the stallion. Oh stallion that moved godlike with wondrous grace, bringest forth the halo of my master!"

A sun rises from the east, even though it is only slightly past midnight. An artificial sun, created from Godou's authority. Darkness gives way to light, and a spear of incinerating light shoots out to kill the queen of darkness.

"Kuh, not this again!" Cursing under her breath Athena summons her strongest shield [Aegis] again and points it in the direction of the attack. That shield is so famous, so strong that even an attack directly opposed to her nature can be blocked… albeit barely. The sun will not hurt her.

However, that cannot be the true attack of this king. He must have another ace on his sleeve. That sword of his? No, the blade of the storm god is not something he can kill Athena with without being consumed by his own flames. Can it be, that blonde follower of his is hiding somewhere in reserve, and Kusanagi Godou is planning to reenact his first victory over Athena?

Looking at Godou Athena sees him standing with sword in hand, but it is not the legendary Kusanagi blade or that mortal magic sword.

"Through the ages, defeated goddesses of Earth would serve the hero of Steel that defeats their monstrous aspect, but to humiliate them even further the fallen goddess often plays a crucial role at her own defeat. Either they kill their own spawn, like how the goddess Nu Wa of the east slayed dragon and turtle, or they help the hero on their journey with blessings, like you Athena!"

That golden sword again! Where did he learn how to wield two powers at the same time? This is bad, the tables have completely turned. Athena cannot defend against those golden spheres of godslaying while blocking the sun at the same time. But where are they? Why is there only that single sword in his hand?

Suddenly a cracking noise fills the air and Athena sees her shield starting to break. How can this be, her shield is supposed to be stronger than that! And why do the flames of that sun look golden?

"This is irking…" He fused both authorities? When did he learn that? Now these flames aren't just meant to slay Athena, but also sever her authority of the divine shield!

"Afterwards the remnants of the beast are used by the goddess. Nu Wa build a pillar supporting heaven with the legs of the turtle, while you used Medusa's head for your divine shield Aegis!"

The spell words pierce through the shield, now reduced to worthless by the [Warrior]. Abandoning [Aegis] Athena swerves sideways, hoping to avoid most of the flames as they consume her shield. It doesn't work that greatly, but at least Athena survives the onslaught.

Her body burning and in pain many goddesses would've given up a long time ago and gotten it over with, but not Athena! She will not fall here like that! "O Night! 'Tis the time ruled by the queen of the underworld. Respondest to one's invitation and lowerest the curtains of the sky!" The brown wings sprout from her back again, and the sky becomes dark once more. The wounds on her body start to heal faster, her own darkness suppressing the remains of the sun. Now to get in the sky and bombard Kusanagi Godou from above, his [Goat] should not be available as he carried that over into the new day.

"Like hell I'm going to let you fly away again!" But before Athena can use her new authority Godou jumps in, having switched his [Warrior] and [Stallion] for the [Camel]. Using a flying roundhouse kick that would make Chuck Norris, god of roundhouse kicks, proud Godou slams onto Athena's heart with the power of a thousand camels.

Even greater goddesses would die from this kick. But sheer willpower and tenacity keep Athena alive. It is already impossible for her to go for the win. She will probably not die after her mortal enemy. That kick caused mortal injury, breaking her internal organs. Therefore the only solution left is mutual destruction.

"Death rules all, from the smallest human to the greatest goddess. King, acceptest this invitation and join this one in the grave!" Spellwords for [Death], Athena's final plan against this king. A cold darkness spreads from her body flowing in Godou's direction. If he gets hit he will either die or be forced to use that [Ram], leaving him defenseless for a final blow.

"Steel that breaks a thousand blades, winds that cuts the immortal earth; Ame no Murakamo no Tsurugi, grant upon me the power of the victorious wind!"

Godou's second authority has been fused with the avatar of [Wind]. The authority once dismissed as useless in battle by Athena is now transformed into a weapon for her demise. The mortal rival has disappeared, replaced by a warrior of wind wielding a divine sword, cutting apart her final attack.

"Nuoh! This one's attack has failed, but thine sword will not reach!" Yes, the [Wind] absorbed by his sword is mainly defensive, cutting apart attacks that draw too close. Absorbed like this it lacks the ability to teleport Godou over the battlefield, giving Athena a chance to perform a final attack!

"Those who are strong and unjust, fear the four winds, for they shall blow all evil away. O Mithra, breathe the victorious winds of change, for justice demands it!"

Using spellwords for the [Wind] Godou drops all defense and channels it all in his sword, pointing the tip of it at the Mediterranean queen. A large vortex shoots out, the edges of the wind cutting away at all in its path.

The goddess should be able to dodge it, but injured as she is from the battle the slashing wind cannot be evaded. Countless cuts appear on her body as her flying form gets flung further in the air.

Her wings are clipped by the wind, causing her to crash down on the petrified sea. The wings disappear and her form chances back from a eighteen year old maiden to a prepubescent girl. Athena lies down, but with her head held up she sees Godou walk up to her. He is also quite injured, both from the inside and the outside. Forced to use his sword as a crutch he falls down on all fours next to Athena.

"I think that I turned the tables on you, Athena. You may have won yesterday, but today is my victory." He speaks with rasped voice, but he is clearly in a much better state than his opponent.

"'Tis vexing, but that is truth. One shall take her loss with dignity." Athena looks at him, the king that finally gives off the aura of an warrior. "This battle hast been magnificent, Kusanagi Godou."

In the sky Athena sees a slender woman, with pink hair in twintails. Pandora? Is that woman truly here or is she an illusion?

Oh, it doesn't matter. Last moments should be spend on different things.

Godou stands up straight with strained movements that constantly hurt, and puts his blade at Athena's throat. "Since you don't have any time left on this world, let me grant you your final wish."

"Ah, truly, thou growst on the path of the warrior. Didst thou finally find the power to slay?"

"Don't compare me to your Iron Age policies, Athena. I'm not some random warrior who kills all who stand in his path. However, even I can grant someone her final wish."

"Fufufu…" Athena laughs, still hearing the folly of his rival. "Still so immature, Kusanagi Godou. But if thou couldst defeat me at this level, thinkest of how great thou can grow!" With her last power she takes a final glance at that black blade. "'tis a wondrous blade thou wieldst, but this goddess finds it still lacking. Perhaps this one's death will improve it."

"Pandora!" She shouts out at the apparition in the sky, "This child receivest one's blessing, for he hast vanquished the mighty Athena. Grant upon him this goddess' authority!" The figure in the sky nods before disappearing. Good, at least the legend of her battle lives on in this king. Now that it is all finished Athena turns to her slayer, giving him her final parting words:

"Fare thee well, Kusanagi Godou, one's mortal enemy."

"Farewell, Athena." And with that Godou pushes the blade through the throat. Athena gives off a last smile, and suddenly her body is gone.

-x-

Gascoigne walks towards the middle of the battlefield. Finally this whole mess of a battle is over. All those crude tactics and barbarian brawls are really not something the black prince would like to do twice.

Still, it cannot be said that it did not have results. Where once was Athena's body now stands a two meter tall cylinder of shelled flesh. A large number of protrusions stick out of the flesh, each the form of a white toe. This is the protection created by Kusanagi Shizuka to seal the grail. While the eighth Campione may have created this seal it was Athena who kept it powered. That is the more efficient way, of course, because otherwise that young king needs to be called upon to remove the seal while also being a constant drain of energy for her. No, it was better to give Athena that burden.

Anyway, now that Athena is gone there is nothing driving that draconic barrier to keep the secret content hidden away from the world.

In a brisk pace Gascoigne steps towards his objective, something that goes rather slow compared to his normal pace. He is so used to travel with his godspeed that this tempo became completely unnatural to him. He looks at his target, only a hundred meters ahead, and sees a certain other king trying to move towards and investigate the grail.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you!" Alexandre shouts out to his fellow peer, trying to get him from touching that divine artifact. Gascoigne would prefer to take this item by force, but that's not a useful tactic in this situation.

While Godou may be in terrible physical state his number of authorities left is numerous. Counting his [Goat] form which he carried between these two days he only used 5 of his authorities. [Bull], [Boar], [Youth], [Raptor], [Ram] and [Ame no Murakamo] are all still available for this young king, and knowing Gascoinge's luck that doesn't even count his newest authority from Athena. Gascoigne himself only has his [Labyrinth] left, and while he could use it to escape his enemies it lacks any form of offensive abilities.

No, a battle between these two would be one-sided for the hypocrite barbarian, even if he is heavily wounded. To obtain the advantage here wisdom needs to be utilized.

Godou looks at the person who spoke those words. Recognizing that person as the other king currently in Japan he wonders what Gascoigne is doing here.

"Just lie down and rest. I've made contact with your organization to clean up this mess, so let me finish business here and then we hopefully don't have to meet in a very long time."

Yes, for Alec meeting with kings is rather annoying. They are all ruffians who want to battle, so direct meetings with them cause only unneeded strife. It would've been much preferable if he could've stayed neutral until now, but at least some effort is required for the sake of pursuing a dream. This time he can excuse himself for doing so.

Having reached the final resting place of the queen of darkness he is now only standing a few meters apart from the flesh barrier.

"Be faithful to me until death, and I shall grant you a crown of life!" A simple spell for raising the outward flow of magical energy, Gascoigne is flooding the flesh around the grail with his energy. Slowly that final barrier crumbles away, until the ultimate goal of Gascoigne is finally visible to all: A large cup of almost a meter tall, filled with magical energy.

Yes, the item Gascoigne's father spend his whole life searching for; the dream that he passed on to his son; the will that made the black prince the Campione he is today. Now, finally, after ten years of kingship, he has access to the ultimate prize!

Stretching his hand out to the grail Gascoigne is planning to bind that divine artifact to himself, giving him his well-deserved prize.

Slowly pouring his magical energy in he tries to make the grail familiar with his scent, as if he is teaching a newborn puppy.

But the Grail does not accept his magical power.

It's the opposite, that action caused the magical energy inside to well up! The divinity of slain [Earth] gathers together and is about to blow!

The grail collapses in on itself before releasing an incredibly powerful explosion. Had Gascoigne still his divine speed he could easily outrun the blast, but now he has nothing to protect himself with.

Shit, is this final swindle of Guinevere actually going to work? His right hand, the one that he stretched out to the grail, is already disintegrated by the blast. Within a second the rest of his body will follow, and he descends to his grave for eternity. Damn it all!

Gascoigne closes his eyes on reflex, even though it doesn't help him at all. No, he's dead. Guinevere played a final trick and it worked.

Soon his body will become nothing, and he has no idea if his mind will continue to exist. The afterlife? Bah, Gascoigne does not care about that, not when he is dying with regrets!

Yet something is strange. If his body were to become nothing, why does he feel himself falling on sand?

Opening his eyes Britain's king sees that no, he is not dead. Lying on the sandy beach of Japan he sees the clear night sky, proof that he is still among the living. Far away the once stone sea has been obliterated, before the leftover rubble sank to the bottom and was replaced with water once more. Yes, that explosion was no dream or hallucination, his lack of a right hand proves it. How is he still alive?

Gascoigne hears some wheezing to his right, and when he looks there he sees the most likely cause of his survival: Kusanagi Godou, grasping his heart in pain, which according to the fourth king's research is a sign of overusing his [Raptor] form.

"Kusanagi Godou… why did you save me?" There should be no reason for comradery between these two kings. He should've simply escaped on his own!

"I remember someone safeguarding my friends." Is he talking about his many girlfriends that turned to stone? Indeed, Gascoigne did contact the HCC and his own Royal Arsenal, with both magic organizations now roaming in the area. "I'm simply repaying my debt here."

How absolutely foolish and ridiculous. "Yes, you did. I guess we are even now." Ridiculous as it sounds that hypocrite is responsible for saving his life. Thanks need to be given here.

But what should Britain's king do now? The grail is gone, his lifelong goal has ended. Does that mean that his life has no meaning anymore?

No, that's absurd. He miraculously lived on, which clearly shows that there's something else out in this world. All he has to do is to find it!

"Still… thank you, Kusanagi Godou." An honest confession, something that his entire heart agrees on, even if he would never say such things otherwise. "What you did back there… it's not something any other king would've done. While power cannot be judged easily, I do say that you are the most compassionate of all kings."

Looking over to his side he sees that the second-youngest king didn't get a word of that, having activated the [Ram] to heal all his mortal injuries.

Heh.

In that case the British Campione will take those words with him to the grave. There's no way he's saying those embarrassing words again. With a wide grin Alexandre decides to join his fellow king into the land of dreams. The night was long and the battle harsh, now rest is earned. Perhaps he might even find his next objective in that world… who knows?

-x-

 _Nineteenth of November, Morning._

"Ugh…" Shizuka wakes up with a bit of a headache. That fight yesterday took a lot out of her.

Looking at her own chest she sees that the hole from Karna's arrow has completely filled, there isn't even any scar tissue left. Good, this means the healing spell Fuyuhime used worked, at least she can function normally again.

There is only one question left in Shizuka's mind: where is she? Her memories from after the fight are a little bit fuzzy. She tries to recall them as best as she can, but the fragments that are left give her a small synopsis at best:

After the battle she got visited and healed by Fuyuhime, who took her to one of the undamaged houses in the neighborhood to rest up a bit. Then Shizuka explained a few things to Fuyuhime, which hopefully wasn't said in a delirious state. After that Shizuka simple fell asleep, eventually leading to this moment.

If the clocks are on time then it is now almost nine in the morning, way later than Shizuka usually wakes up. It's probably just like that saying, sleep is the best medicine: Thanks to her extended sleep, supernatural recovery and Fuyuhime's healing spell she has no more aches within her body. She feels completely fine.

Another advantage of kingship, Shizuka supposes.

Getting out of bed Shizuka sees a fresh set of clothing hanging over a chair, its size being a perfect fit for her. A small note from Sakura tells the young Campione that these clothes are meant for her to dress in.

Looking at her current clothing Shizuka can easily see why: While her body may be fine the scars of battle are still visible on her torn and bloodied clothes.

This school uniform can be thrown with the trash. Luckily Shizuka still owns a spare back home, because otherwise she would have to make a lot of excuses for destroying her own school clothes like this.

Shizuka switches her destroyed uniform for a new set of clothing, a striped red sweater with a pair of jeans underneath it. After changing Shizuka leaves the bedroom, and by descending a set of stairs she quickly finds herself in a living room.

"Shizuka-san/-chan!" The two followers of Shizuka greet the youngest king, both busy eating their own breakfast. There's a third set of food still untouched, which Shizuka assumes is hers.

Placing herself next to Sakura she starts eating her own food while discussing yesterday: "So, how much did I tell you guys yesterday?" Is there something that still needs to be clarified? Shizuka would rather not leave out some vital piece of knowledge for her allies and underlings.

"Well, according to Fuyuhime-chan you spoke about the duo who were rampaging in this place. There's heretic god Lancelot and divine ancestor Guinevere who were trying to resurrect a god, and you fought them together with heretic Athena and godslayer Alexandre Gascoigne." Indeed, a rather accurate summary of Sakura.

"Something like that, yes." However, there is one person missing from this explanation. "During my fight with Guinevere she managed to summon the divine spirit of the god Gawain."

"You mean that nephew of king Arthur who is perfectly chivalrous, Shizuka-chan?"

"…" Yeah, about that…

"I wish that were true…" Shizuka lets out those words in annoyance. What an irritating man that Karna is. "But he wasn't chivalrous at all. This probably has to do with his origin being Karna, from Hindu mythology." Shizuka may not know the Mahabharata _{4}_ but there were so many terms dropped that his Hindu origin is plain obvious. Karna was really bad at hiding his own identity.

"Oh, I studied somewhat on that!" Fuyuhime brightly explains, ready to show off her knowledge on this matter. "Karna, a villain from India's longest epic, he was the ultimate warrior who was defeated with trickery and deceit. Son of the sun god Surya, wielder of hundreds of authorities, and undefeated in honorable combat." Fuyuhime starts to give a short synopsis of his legend, before moving on to even more important parts: Karna's origin.

"Karna was most likely not an invention of the Indian people. In older myth a god akin to Karna has been seen: In the city of Sippar, which existed thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia, there was a cult following the sun god Utu. This god had a son, known as Amar-Utu, which means son of Utu. He quickly became popular in the neighboring city of Babylon as the god of Babylon itself. As Babylon conquered its surrounding area under Hammurabi the other city gods entered the Babylonian pantheon, ruled by their own patron deity, who was given the name Marduk."

Marduk, the god-king of Babylon. Who would think that such a deity could be Karna's origin?

"Marduk was a king, a warrior. He mastered many weapons and authorities for his most famous story, the slaying of mother earth goddess Tiamat. By defeating the followers of this goddess the Babylonian kingdom reigned supreme, making Marduk the official lord of the gods."

"Then how is he connected to Karna?" Shizuka asks the most important question: What binds these two gods? Why is this not some sort of lucky coincidence?

"…" Fuyuhime looks rather fidgety. In other words: "I… don't precisely know. N-Now, don't assume that this is baseless, there simply is no recorded knowledge left of that time period. Most likely there was a war between Babylonia and ancient India which was won by the latter, and it became the origin for the legendary epic."

With that explained Fuyuhime really does not want to stick on this topic anymore. As she sees Shizuka finish the last of her breakfast she remembers something else to talk about.

"On a related note, we of the committee would like to congratulate you for your help in keeping this land safe, and grant you this gift for your success in repelling the enemy." Fuyuhime pulls something out of her pocket, and places it on table:

A stick of around nineteen centimeters long, the size of an average pencil. On closer inspection the last quarter is actually a sharp blade, So it is more like a tiny naginata.

"Ah, what's this Fuyuhime-chan?" Sakura asks, examining the item with a puzzled expression. It looks like some sort of miniature weapon, and there is also a powerful divine feeling oozing out from it. "It's some powerful artifact, isn't it?"

"You're right Sakura-chan," Shizuka replies as she too eyes this divine artifact. "this does look rather powerful. What is this exactly, Fuyuhime?"

"Well, let me tell you." Proudly the witch talks about the exact nature of this blade. "Any Japanese worth his salt knows about creation of Japan, right?" Shizuka nods, aware of the story.

Izanagi and Izanami went to the floating bridge of heaven, and with the help of a jeweled spear they stirred earth's water. Lifting up the spear there was brine dripping down from the blade, and where this brine his the primordial earth's water islands would emerge. Thus the island nation of Japan was formed.

"This gift is none other than the legendary Ame no Nuboko, the heavenly jeweled spear used by the creator gods to shape these lands!"

"That famous spear, huh?" Even though Shizuka sounds disinterested it is merely to hide her own shock. She has just been gifted a one of a kind legend, a priceless artifact that could be considered the greatest treasure of many an organization!

How absolutely suspicious.

"So, why was it gifted to me? I doubt that the history compilation committee gives these trinkets away to their lord for every successive battle, or else they would run out of gifts fast."

Fuyuhime nods, agreeing with that statement. "Yeah, that's true. They didn't tell me why this was gifted to you, but if I had to guess it's an anti-theft measure. That British gentleman you allied with yesterday is a phantom thief of no equal, stealing whatever obtains his interest." Gascoigne would object to this, calling his crimes mere borrowing instead of stealing. Everyone agrees to this as much as people agree to Godou not building a harem. "The committee would like to keep this particular object in their grasp, and since our defenses cannot stop him the only possible defense left is to leave the divine artifact in the hands of one of Japan's Campione."

"In other words, me." Shizuka realizes that the committee is pretty much using her for their own benefit, but that's to be expected. Only a fool would think that an organization is blindly loyal to their king, they're simply trying to save their own hide.

Still, the gift might be useful someday. There's no reason not to do as that organization wants. "By the way, do you have some wire?"

Sakura searches a cabinet and finds some thin wire, and gives it to Shizuka. "But why do you need it, Shizuka-chan?"

"Look, there's a small round hole in the bottom of this artifact." Shizuka point to the end of the stick, where there is indeed a small hole "If I put a wire through that hole I could turn it into a keychain for my phone."

Nonono. There's something very much lacking in common logic with that idea. Reducing a priceless magic artifact to a mobile accessory? That lacks so much common sense that it almost makes Fuyuhime groan. Even Sakura gives this idea questionable looks.

Before Shizuka can use the wire to create her keychain she remembers something even more important.

"Say, Fuyuhime, Sakura-chan; what day is it today?"

"Friday the nineteenth, why do you ask?"

Oh no, this is bad. Shizuka looks with horror around her, remembering something terrible. "I should be in school right now!"

Both of the youngest king's followers gaze at their lord with deadpan looks. "Really?" Fuyhime speaks in flat tone, "That's what you're worried about? Not something like the outcome of the battle between the black prince, Athena and Lancelot, but it is your school attendance of all things which you are worried about?"

"We won." Shizuka explains with ease, "Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here calmly eating our breakfast." Instead it would be more along the lines of a hurried wake-up followed by a nervous explanation that heretic Lancelot is on the loose.

"…" Shizuka's explanation cannot be refuted easily. Sure, there are some minor points that can be pointed out, but it's still mostly true.

Eh, both Sakura and Fuyuhime decide to roll with it.

"Yes, pretty much. Now, Shizuka-san, about school, it would be preferable to solve this without the use of magic. The best method is if we can grant you a valid excuse for not arriving in time, yet it must also be something not overly flashy.

"Oh, can't we say that Shizuka-chan was needed for help at our university?"

"A decent idea, Sakura-chan, but it needs some ironing out." The trio start discussing about a solution, helping Shizuka return to those common days.

Finally, it's time to relax and just worry about the ordinary stuff.

-x-

 _Twentieth of November, Saturday, late morning._

It's over. The battle over the holy grail has finished. As far as Godou knows it involved two gods, a divine ancestor and two godslayers, 3 of whom died: Divine ancestor Guinevere, who perished trying to revive her master and husband; Heretic Lancelot, who stayed with Guinevere until the very end and tried to enact her will; and finally Heretic Athena, who got her revenge against the retainers of the strongest steel and was defeated in a fair duel; The survivors are the two kings, Kusanagi Godou and Alexandre Gascoigne, of which the latter might need someone to lend him a hand.

The seventh devil king is celebrating his victory over heretic Athena and his help in stopping the revival of [The king who arrives at the End of Eras]. And with celebrating we mean getting dragged into the party by his entourage. Now he sits in Showa Kinen Koen _{5}_ , an hour west of Tokyo, participating in the event of momijikari _{6}_. The only one left out here is Erica, who is still in Italy for some other business with her association. She won't be back until the day after tomorrow.

Godou looks around and takes in the beauty of nature. Ah, watching the autumn leaves fall really is one of the finer things in life. Taking another sip of his sake (alcohol-free, he's still a minor!) he sits down next to Amakasu, who congratulates him on his first victory without massive destruction.

"Come now, it can't be that bad. I'm a normal person at heart, surely I won more often like that." Godou cannot deny that he caused some destruction, but to be honest some of his authorities don't really help his cause, like that boar of his. He still feels guilty about destroying the Coliseum of Rome.

"At the current moment we have had to repair Hamarikyu gardens from your first battle with Athena, Tokyo Tower from your fight with Voban, Saitenguu temple from your fight with Her Eminence, the entire mountain around Saitenguu from your battle with Sun Wukong…"

"I will admit that Hamarikyu got destroyed because I brought the fight there, but I always tried to keep damage and casualties to a minimum! Tokyo Tower got destroyed due to Voban's manipulation of lightning, and that temple and its surroundings would be unscathed if nee-san was less whimsical! I do my best to lower the damage!"

"I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, Kusanagi Godou. The only thing you are more skilled at than wanton destruction is the charming of maidens, as your many works in both Italy and Japan show." His premier knight, Liliana Krancjar, is now opposed to her lord in this argument, but to add insult to injury she has to add a few more words. "In both of these abilities you are unmatched under the heavens."

"Hey, I completely disagree, I'm not some devil king sowing the seeds of destruction wherever I go!"

Completely disregarding Godou's words Liliana finishes off Amakasu's table: "While I can condone your destruction of the Coliseum of Rome there are a few other buildings that you have destroyed." Hang on, did she just forgive Godou for destroying one of the biggest tourist attraction centers in the world purely because that attack was aimed at Erica? "After becoming a Campione you destroyed Cagliari harbor for the sake of punishing an idiotic challenger, ruined Palermo Bay and the Soluntum ruins during your fighting with Melquart, The Duomo di Milana, Piazza del Campo and half of lake Garda in your fight with Sir Salvatore and the larger part of Naples in your fight with Perseus. Can you truly say that you do not equal a god of destruction in this regard?"

There are so many things wrong with that in Godou's imagination that he doesn't even know where to start. This is mainly because those words are the truth, and not refutable.

"Ah, don't forget about the Imperial Palace during the battle where your majesty fought Ena and our partner Ame no Murakamo!" The warrior hime-miko joins the conversation, putting another nail in Godou's coffin.

Liliana and Amakasu both nod, having forgotten about that particular incident. Indeed, there have been so many destructive battles that some are starting to slip past memory.

Godou racks his brain, trying to remember a battle that did not cause much destruction.

The battle against Erlang? No, that involved the destruction of a waterfall, completely altering the course of the river.

Ehm… wasn't there a battle against some dinosaur divine beast back when he first became a king? Oh wait, there's at least one battle without property damage!

"I can recall a battle with a divine beast of Artemis' creation back in Italy. It took place inside a church, and that place is still standing fine!" Speaking proudly of this feat Godou tries to sell his truth as real, but the others simply give him a pitying look.

"Kusanagi Godou, that level of opponent doesn't really count as fighting for the likes of you." For a king the only opponents worth noting are other kings and deities, something like that is at best a punishment.

"Even so, should we not celebrate his current success rather than pointing out his history?" Now another of Godou's close allies arrives, the one known as Mariya Yuri. "Even if his previous record of destruction is rather… bad, if he can keep this up then Japan's future will be bright."

Thank you Mariya for your calm observation. Godou fully agrees with those words spoken by the hime-miko.

"Yep, you do have a point there Yuri." Everyone else also agree that Mariya has a good point there, so Ena decides to change the subject of the conservation. "In that case, your majesty, could you show off your latest power you obtained?"

Godou would normally be completely against such a ridiculous proposition, using his powers for no reason at all. However, just this once summoning his third authority can be allowed, since it will not have any bad effect on the surrounding area:

"Armor made of goatskin, adorned with the head of the gorgon. That is Aegis, the darkness that shall not let anything pass!" In Godou's hand a shield appears, one that is labeled by the knowledgeable as an aspis. The shield is slightly more than a meter in width, and made entirely out of a material not known to common men. The shield is adorned with the maidenly face of Athena, eyes closed and muscles relaxed, as if she is asleep. This is Kusanagi Godou's third authority, obtained from the defiant deity Athena!

"A shield?" Mariya looks puzzled at this new authority. She wasn't expecting Godou to get something as simple as that. Compared to the ten forms of Verethragna or the multiple uses Ame no Murakamo offers something like a shield to protect from harm seems rather unfitting for Kusanagi Godou.

"Indeed, it's a shield." Amakasu also looks intrigued at this authority. "Is there nothing more to it? Something as pure and simple like this does not fit you at all, it sounds more like, well… that king."

Godou knows exactly who they are talking about. The sixth king, Salvatore Doni. Ugh, simply thinking about him gives Godou a headache.

"Your Majesty, think fast!" Suddenly Ena swings a sword at her lord, an attack created by the combined powers of the hime-miko and Japan's most famous blade, currently serving as Kusanagi Godou's second authority.

With haste Godou raises his shield, deflecting the strike.

"Seishuuin, what was that for?!" Godou shouts out in anger, not approving of this idea.

"Y-yes, Ena-san, that was unnecessary!" Yuri starts to scold her friend too, and the other two also give disapproving glances.

"Well, our partner agrees with Ena that it cannot hurt to test out your newest authority. Look, there isn't even a scratch, even though we went all out!"

"Hah…" Well, that is at least true. The shield is completely unharmed from the sudden strike. In fact, it seems to have become even stronger than it was before. "It seems that striking this shield like you did caused a new form of it to open."

Godou unconsciously has been pouring magic energy into the shield, and now that he has said the secret word, "open", the second form of his newest authority has been activated:

The eyes on the front of the shield open, the face of the mother earth goddess has woken up from slumber. Everything that falls under Athena's evil gaze solidifies and turns into stone, be it grass, water, trees, or even humans. Everything turns in a temporary state of non-alive.

After overcoming the sudden shock of his actions a panicked Godou desperately tries to shut off his shield. All his mind tries to focus on unsummoning this evil weapon.

A second later, something that felt much longer to Godou then it actually was, the shield is dismissed. The shield shimmers for a moment but quickly disappears from the world. However, the damage is already done:

At least two or three acres of the park have been turned to stone, along with most animals and plants who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. While some of the mages managed to raise magical defenses in time against this petrification there are still a lot of them who became stone statues, along with a large group of unfortunate tourists. It will take weeks to return this park to normal state.

Mariya looks shocked that Godou just unleashed such destruction upon the park, and Ena looks with amazement at Godou's destruction, though not without a few pangs of guilt. Liliana simply sighs while muttering a few words about how she "should've seen something like this coming". And Godou?

He looks at the destruction he has caused, before throwing his head in his hands.

"You know, I take back what I said." Amakusa speaks with a slippery and snarky tongue, but his face reveals that he's also quite bothered by this situation, really disliking the mess just made. "Congratulations, your majesty: you have obtained another destructive victory."

Godou only lets out a whimper of despair in return.

-x-

{1} Athena Hippeia Tritogenia: Athena of the horses, child born of Triton. Technically, this would make Poseidon her grandfather, which is arguably even worse than being his child.

{2} Chiton, Panoply: The former is standard Greek clothing, worn by males and females alike. The latter is a type of breastplate worn by hoplites, weighing up to 32 kilograms.

{3} Hour of witches: Here it very clearly means midnight til 1 AM, and not 2 AM til 3 AM as some people would like to believe.

{4} Mahabharata: One of the two major Sanskrit epics of India. It tells the story of the Kurukshetra war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.

{5} Showa Kinen Koen: Also known as Showa memorial park, it is popular in autumn because of its rich colors.

{6} Momijikari: A Japanese tradition where one views the scenery of falling leaves. Equally important to the Japanese as watching the cherry blossoms.

-x-

So, I assume that there might be a question raised here at the end of this arc: Why does Godou obtain a new authority and Shizuka not?

For Shizuka this is simple: It's way too early for her to obtain her second power. Kings do not rapidly gain one power after the other, it's a process that takes a while. Look for example at Godou: He obtains his second authority in the fifth volume of the series, having spent multiple battles with only 1 authority. In the first arc he became a king, in the second there's a mayor fight involving Athena, in the third he's at odds with another Campione, in the fourth he fights a showy Greco-Roman deity, and only in the fifth arc does he fight the deity that gives him his second power.

While it is true that characters develop over arcs not every development should end with a new authority. Smaller developments, like obtaining some artifact, gaining new wisdom or learning new ways to use an old authority can also work as rewards.

And let's be honest here, story wise it is for the better. The story would only grow dull and hard to follow if I distributed new powers every single arc to the main character, and the fight scenes would become uninteresting. All it does is make Shizuka an overpowered king who becomes less fun to read about.

Now as for why I give Godou a new authority even though I said all the above… remember the original volume 9 to 12? Remember how Athena and Circe gave Godou the knowledge to use [Sword of the Beginning and the End]?

Well, that doesn't happen due to the divergence of the story. Because Gascoigne knows what happened to the Holy Grail (it blew up) he will not search for what happened with that artifact, unlike in the original story. This means that he will not visit the island Circe sleeps on and will not rudely awaken her. Because of this Circe will continue sleeping and not bother Kusanagi Godou or anyone else. Because Godou is not bothered in this story he will never learn [Dawn Secret Archives], which is needed for that ultimate skill of the Kusanagi sword.

As recompense for Godou not learning that power I gave him an actual third authority, the all-famous [Aegis]. Below are the stats for this new authority:

[Aegis]

Obtained from heretic Athena. A shield with the image of adolescent Athena carved upon it, Godou has obtained the ability to summon it. It comes with two modes, a defensive and an offensive mode.

The defensive mode allows him to block attacks like a normal shield, capable of nullifying even something as powerful as his own [White Stallion]. It can be considered a defense on equal terms with Doni's [Man of Steel].

The offensive mode cannot block attacks like the defensive mode. Instead the eyes of carved Athena will open. Everything caught in the line of sight of these eyes will petrify, much like Athena's own eyes of petrification. While effective on humans, lesser divine beasts and the environment it is only moderately effective against stronger beasts while kings and deities are for the most part unaffected.

The main restriction of this authority is that offensive mode can only be used after Godou blocks a strong enemy attack with the defensive form. In offensive mode the authority can be unsummoned or returned to defensive mode at any time, but the restriction of offensive use is also reset.

There are no other true restrictions. Godou can use it as often as his mana allows him to and wield it together with other authorities he owns.

…

And that's Aegis. It's rather hard to come up with a fitting authority because Godou has no obvious theme, unlike the rest. Even Shizuka has a theme, being [Queen], where the five stones fulfill the role of "personal bodyguards".

So I had to think: What is Godou's style? After a ton of thinking I have finally figured it out! On one half he is a [just protector] who stands up for justice and his allies, and for the other half he uses [counter-play], someone who plays his tricks after seeing the enemies' strengths and weaknesses. To clarify:

 _[Just protector]:_

[Gale]: Instantaneous travelling power obtained when someone who knows him is in danger and needs his help.

[Stallion]: Powerful fire attack only usable against evil opponents.

[Youth]: Followers of Godou gain enhanced powers as reward for their subservience.

[Goat]: Gain the power of lightning with power equal to the number of people willing to become Godou's strength.

[Warrior]: Seals authority Kusanagi Godou has obtained full knowledge about. In this group because it requires a follower of his to give him that knowledge, but can also belong to the [Counter-player] group if Godou obtains this knowledge himself.

 _[Counter-play]:_

[Bull]: If enemy shows super strength, gain strength higher than enemy.

[Camel]: If injured, obtain powerful offensive kicking abilities along with improved endurance and recovery.

[Boar]: If enemy is gigantic, summon an also gigantic boar.

[Raptor]: If enemy has inhuman speed, counter with even higher speed.

[Ram]: If killed, gain single use resurrection.

[Ame no Murakamo]: If enemy uses attack with a certain attribute can copy that attribute and use it against the enemy.

And that's all the authorities of the seventh king. As you can see the authorities can be split up like that. [Aegis] is both: The former because it forms a shield that protects himself and his followers, and the latter because it can counter with the curse of petrification after being attacked.

Now what would be a good name for Godou's theme? Hmm… A protector… one who defends? And combine that with his style of fighting… Ah, I got it! His theme is [Counter Guardian]!

…

On second thought, let's forget about all this theming lest a white-haired Godou travels back in time to slay himself and create a paradox.


	7. Arc 3: Meeting the King of Morons

_Twenty-ninth of November, Monday, evening._

Today Shizuka learned that a bit of the magnificence of kingship is not quite as bright as it seems to be. More specifically, she is talking about one of the useful side effects of slaying a deity, the ability to speak any language with ease.

Doesn't that sound amazing for a student? Any language course that you need to follow can be aced without effort. Shizuka too can see the use of such an advantage: because of this ability she has a few more free hours left each week, which is then spend on learning a bit more about magic society.

This plan fell a bit apart after the English grammar test an hour ago. Shizuka fully expected to ace the test with her omniglot powers, just like she did the with the listening test.

If she actually tried even a little bit of learning she would've known that this is a very bad idea. While Shizuka may speak English fluently, perfectly knowing what each word means, she does not have an instinctive knowledge of the grammar.

As a result Shizuka screwed up her test big time. Now looking back on it she is pretty sure that governor should not be spelled with an f. Worst comes to worst and Shizuka will have to do a retake.

Shizuka lets out a sigh as she walks back from school. Lesson learned, perhaps next time she should at least use a bit of her time to learn grammatically correct English.

Walking back home she wonders about what will be for dinner. It's Godou's turn to cook, so it will at least be semi-decent. While Godou produces decent but somewhat average food, akin to Shizuka, it is grandpa Ichirou who is the best chef of the family. Using exquisite ingredients obtained from some lady he knows well (and those ladies number well in the dozens) he can prepare masterful dishes, with a taste that seems to become even better the more women are joining in on dinner.

Damn that womanizer!

Her thoughts switch when she hears her phone ring. It's an old model flip phone, but it fulfills its function as communication device. A small window on the front gives Shizuka the number of her caller, which is a number she recognizes as that of her follower.

With a flip she opens the phone, answering the call: "Good afternoon, Fuyuhime."

"Hello Shizuka-san."

The duo has a bit of small banter about everyday stuff, but after a minute or so Shizuka wants to get to the point:

"So, why are you calling me?"

"I'm having an invitation for you. Do you have something important tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is a Tuesday. Unlike your university courses I'm not so free at skipping classes." If there's one major advantage about being a university student it has to be that you can skip classes freely as long as you pass every single exam. It's one of the few concepts the Japanese took over from the western countries, and giving rise to the knowledge that college students have the most free time of all Japanese.

"Shizuka-san, didn't I ask for something important? Since when is following classes to obtain a normal job important for a king whose future is to slay evil gods?"

"Point… taken." Shizuka has no retort for that answer. "But I expect you to come up with a valid excuse for missing a day of school. I don't want to end my school life as a delinquent."

"Says the one who committed murder and deicide."

"The one who saved hundreds of lives by committing murder and deicide. That doesn't count." Having had enough of this accusation Shizuka gets straight to the point: "So what is this invitation for?"

"Well, ever since I became a witch my position in the committee has changed. Hime-miko fall under the regulation of my family, but witches fall under a different branch." The Seishuuin have control over military affairs, and since witches are generally considered to be jack-of-all-trades mages well-suited to battle they control the witches of Japan. "It's a tradition for our witches to be granted a magic blade upon joining the committee, and since what you… well, did to me I'm not an exception."

"So next time I see you there will be a blade slung at your waist or so?" So witches carry weapons around them? Strange, that witch from Niseko didn't use a weapon when he challenged Shizuka. Perhaps he didn't want to draw it or so? "Besides, why do you actually get a weapon? Surely magic blades aren't cheap enough to be given away freely like that?"

"It's to attract witches to Japan. The HCC may control the largest number of hime-miko of all magic organizations in the world, the number of witches is actually quite low here in the east. To attract fresh blood they offer nifty little bonuses like that."

"Even to an exceptional case like yours."

"Heh… well, yes… though the reasoning was slightly different." Because hey, let's make sure every registered witch in this country is treated as special except for the loyal follower of the godslayer. Now that's a good way to piss the youngest king off! Of course they are going to give Fuyuhime her own weapon, the HCC isn't stupid. "A-Anyway, on the last day of every month there is a possibility for new witches to be officially registered with the HCC and given a magic weapon in recognition. Could… could you please attend this meeting?"

"Do I have to?"

"N-No, I'm not forcing you!" Well someone is getting quite flustered. "Bu-But, wouldn't it be good to show yourself around a bit? And… and… ah, don't you need to know what your own followers can do to help you in battle?"

"…" Actually, Shizuka never helped Fuyuhime because she wanted a witch to follow her in battle. Sakura simply said that her friend has a problem and the Campione solved it. Battle is the last of things Shizuka thought about when she did that. "Is it really needed that I come, because you aren't convincing me." The mages there will either be ass-kissers trying to get in her favor, ass-kissers trying to get in the seventh king's favor or idiots believing they can manipulate a king because she is almost thirteen years old. Shizuka preferably doesn't deal with any of these.

It stays silent on the other side of the line, only a few "well's" and "uhm's" proving that Fuyuhime didn't hang up the phone. The witch desperately searches for a reason to show off her pride, but no good answers form in her head. Until…

"Ah!" Yes, she's got a good reason. "Well, usually the future branch head of the witch shows up at the graduation, confirming that she now falls under his hands. Since I am a direct follower of the eight king that does make you my leader."

"So you need me to make some grandiose statement about how you serve me, right?"

"No, all I need is your presence." Nobody is going to force a Campione to do anything against their will. Many have tried in the past, and the best result thus far was disastrous, and for the sake of all that is righteous and holy we do not speak about the worst result. "L-Look, just come, alright?"

"…Fine. I guess I'll see you then, Fuyuhime." A few minor details are handled over the phone, like the time and meeting place, but after that was finished Shizuka hangs up her phone.

So, a ceremony of sorts, huh? Shizuka has to admit that she is interested in this ceremony. Let's see what that will be.

-x-

 _Thirtieth of November, late morning._

The ceremony is not quite what Shizuka expected. No grand western hall with stained glass, but a simple large traditional room created on the twelfth floor of a skyscraper; No western fancy ornaments, but only the basic necessities, all thoroughly Japanese. Didn't Fuyuhime say something about most Japanese witched being drafted from outside of Japan? Why is this place so non-foreign?

The only thing that seems to be from outside of Shizuka's home country is the other witch who gets to be officially recognized today. This month the number of witches who get registered is two, one of which is Fuyuhime and the other is this Caucasian young woman… who is clearly not happy that she has this joyous moment ruined by the sudden appearance of a Campione.

Warily she keeps her distance from Shizuka, only make the bare minimum amount of contact with this inhuman being. As long as she can get past this event-no, trial would be a better word for it, the rest of her life should be good.

Other than the second witch there are three other people in the room that Shizuka doesn't know: The first is the branch head, in control of all of Japan's witches. A woman who looks like she's in her late twenties, she emits wisdom proving that she used some form of rejuvenation magic to give herself those looks.

The other two are there for the other witch, the older male probably being the head of the witch's future department, but Shizuka is not sure why the younger male is here. Perhaps an associate who is here for the same reason as Sakura?

The seven take their seats around the room, sitting on small pillows around an empty space: The woman faking her age sits on the head, and to her left and right are the two heads seated, Shizuka on the right side and the older male on the left. Next to them are the witches seated, and furthest away from the head seat are the two associates.

"Say Fuyuhime, why is this room so Japanese? I thought that witches would style themselves more after their country of origin."

"You can blame uncle Enjou for that. He's one of the four elders and leader of the family going over the witches of Japan." Enjou Seishuuin took that job with pleasure, even though he is a bit of a xenophobe. "That old man is a little bit… obsessed with preserving the Japanese culture, so to increase foreign integration he forced certain aspects onto the witches here."

"Tell me about it," The head speaks up, knowing full well what Fuyuhime is talking about. "To enforce those rules he ordered me to not give out any magic weapons that are not styled after Japanese weapons. It's hard enough to find and create magic swords to begin with, such restrictions only make it worse." The eyes of the branch head go wide as she realizes with what kind of person she is casually talking to. "Oh, M-My apologies for interrupting your conversation, your highness."

"Don't worry about it. You don't need to treat me any different than normal people, all I did was kill some goddess." Some respect is right, but there's no reason to act all that stiff. It's not that she is like her peers and actually tries to be a tyrant. The others in the room decide to ignore the last part of that ridiculous sentence. "Just call me Kusanagi."

"Ahah… yes, I will do so Kusanagi-sama…" Clearly the other four in the room recognize that surname. Upon realizing what kind of demon would join this ceremony they did a bit of research, eventually figuring out that there's actually a brother-sister pair of Campione out in the world. None of the four other magi are going to mention such things to Shizuka, though. If she knows, then there's no need to say the same thing twice.

And if she does not know the relation between the siblings? Well, they would rather not be responsible for the destruction of half of Tokyo. Therefore all four stay silent about this issue, instead introducing their own names, beginning with the woman hiding her true age:

"My name is Kusinada Rei. It is an honor to meet you."

"I am Watanabe Yujiro." The department head of the other witch speaks up. "I am graced to be in your presence."

"Yes, it is rather special to have a king show up for these events. My name is Alena Pickova, and I am grateful to be in your presence."

The last one to tell his name is the younger male supporting the other witch: "I am Jaroslav Pickova, the husband of Alena and simple heretic mage hailing from Czech. Please, do not concern yourself with me." Huh, so that's why that man is also here.

Fuyuhime and Sakura also introduce themselves, and the ceremony can begin:

"Alena Pickova, please step forward." The European witch does as told, getting up from her position before kneeling down in front of Rei. The older witch starts speaking again, now starting a magical incantation to make a lasting oath:

"The contributor, Kusinada Rei; The recipient, Alena Pickova; As witnessed by gods and man, upon agreement of this pledge all conditions spoken will be kept and fulfilled. May Sancus bless her who upholds the oath, and Orcus _{1}_ curse those who break it."

"Alena Pickova vows thus: One will join the History Compilation committee, directly led by Watanabe Yujiro unless appointed otherwise. I will uphold the laws of the organization and work to bring it greatness. I will continue doing so until either my death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."

"Kusinada Rei vows thus: The committee shall grant you weapons and payment. We shall be your allies, and help you against those opposing you. These laws will be upheld until Alena Pickova's death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."

"The third party, Watanabe Yujiro, shall bear witness to this pact. May the gods curse the one who breaks his vow! Hereby I declare this contract to be mutually agreed on, successive now!"

As Watanabe speaks these words Shizuka notices that there is a stream of magic flowing between Alena and Rei. It was there before, but then it was minimal enough that it stayed under Shizuka's radar as long as she didn't actively try to sense it.

The magic in the airs quickly dims down, getting absorbed by the two witches. When it is all back to normal the only thing that seems to have changed is the… magical composition, so to say, of the two witches. The world of magecraft probably has some more technical terms for such a power, but Shizuka is just a month-old Campione. Most of the used terms are still complete mumbo jumbo for her.

"As the one who holds the arsenal, I am the grand commander of blades." While the contract spell is over there's still one last part that needs to be completed. Fuyuhime already talked about it, and now Rei speaks about this too: all witches who join the HCC get a magic blade. "The blade befitting this maiden, come and show thyself!"

Out of thin air a long spear appears, at least two meters right. If Shizuka's memory serves well that weapon's official category is a yari, a traditional Japanese infantry spear. There are faint traces of magical energy leaking out, but there's no doubt that that spear is a magical item.

Alena gracefully accepts the yari before returning to her seat, letting the weapon rest against her shoulder. Now that she is finished it is time for the other witch to step up:

"Renjou Fuyuhime, please step up." Fuyuhime does as told, and places herself in front of the head witch. Once more the magical spellwords are chanted, with only slight variation in the names.

"The contributor, Kusinada Rei; The recipient, Renjou Fuyuhime; As witnessed by gods and man, upon agreement of this pledge all conditions spoken will be kept and fulfilled. May Sancus bless her who upholds the oath, and Orcus curse those who break it."

"Renjou Fuyuhime vows thus: One will continue to serve the History Compilation Comittee, now as one of the witches of earth. I will directly serve her majesty Kusanagi Shizuka until death do us part. I will uphold the laws of the organization and work to bring it greatness. I will continue doing so until either my death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."

There are a few other changes here and there, showing that Fuyuhime is a bit of a special case. But was that until death do us part" really necessary? Such words are better reserved for a wedding.

"Kusinada Rei vows thus: The committee shall grant you weapons and payment. We shall be your allies, help you against those opposing you. These laws will be upheld until Renjou Fuyuhime's death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."

It stays silent for a short while, but Shizuka doesn't realize what the delay is. Can't they continue?

Sakura lightly nudges Shizuka in the side, while conveying bod language that seems to say… "speak already"? In fact, everyone else also seems to impatiently look at the young king. Why is tha-oh wait.

Technically she is the boss of Fuyuhime. Watanabe did it for the other witch, and it is now her turn to speak the last verse of the spell… that she doesn't know. Perhaps Fuyuhime forgot to tell her about this spell. Perhaps Shizuka did receive it but never paid it any attention.

Either way, Shizuka is not exactly sure what to do. Even the words spoken by the other head can at best be vaguely recalled. There's only one option left:

Brute-force it and hope for the best!

"The eighth king, Kusanagi Shizuka, validates this contract. Cursed is he who breaks this vow!" Okay, not precisely the correct text. In fact, it's completely off. However, the sheer amount of magic energy poured in still makes the contract binding. Perhaps it's considered inefficient by mages, but Shizuka does not care that much about efficiency when she has an overflow of the source.

The others give slightly wary looks of confusion, but both Fuyuhime and Rei note that the contract is in effect. In the end it all worked out. With no need to worry about that anymore Rei goes right ahead to the weapon granting:

"As the one who holds the arsenal, I am the grand commander of blades. The blade befitting this maiden, come and show thyself!"

This time a different weapon appears. The blade looks the same as that of a standard katana, but the hilt and blade are of the same length. There's a specific name for these kind of blades, but Shizuka never learned that tidbit of information.

It should be noted that there's a slight discrepancy between the power of these two weapons. Fuyuhime's nagamaki _{2}_ emits more power than that spear. Could this be a subtle touch to please a king, so that the head witch of Japan gets seen in a positive light by one of the eight greatest of humanity? Is this just nothing more than a coincidence, or maybe a combination of both?

Probably the second. Even if there were ulterior motives Shizuka will still write it off as a coincidence, not wanting people to believe that it is so easy to curry favors with her.

"Thank you." A small word of thanks from Shizuka's own witch signifies that the weapon has been officially granted, and Fuyuhime returns to her position with weapon in tow. Now that all witches have been registered there is no reason to continue being here, so Kusinada Rei speaks the final words:

"Then hereby do I declare Alena Pickova and Renjou Fuyuhime the newest witches of the history compilation committee. I declare this gathering dismissed!"

And with those graceful words this ceremony is finish-

"So anyone up for lunch?"

Or perhaps not such a graceful finish… talk about an expectation lowerer.

-x-

"Seriously? This is the restaurant you chose?" Shizuka is a bit annoyed by the restaurant chosen

"O-oh, my apologies, milady." Kusinada Rei is not happy to hear the unhappy voice of a king, mainly because it usually leads to the destruction of at least a house. "We will immedietly choose something that fits your tastes more."

"No, it's not that which bothers me." The restaurant itself is decent enough: The inside is clean and has a good ambiance. Combined with the fact that two-thirds of the tables are full means that it's probably a pretty good restaurant. It's also not the food itself that Shizuka dislikes, as the kitchens offers a variety of international cuisine that looks delicious. No, there's exactly one problem with this restaurant. "why are we eating in a place called 'Garden of Witches'?" Yes, to have actual witches eat at a location with this name is rather ridiculous, a pun of the worst caliber.

"Oh, so it's the name?" The head witch sighs from relief, happy that it is not the restaurant itself. "Actually, that was done on purpose. Who in their right mind would think that a group of witches hold secret lunch meetings in a restaurant with this name?"

…point taken. It's like hiding a needle in a stack or needles, or a tree in a forest. Shizuka can see where this is going, and accepts the explanation.

Having no further issues with the restaurant the group of seven enter inside, where they are greeted with surprising familiarity by the store owner.

"Ah, Rei-chan, welcome! I guess it's that time of the month again, right?"

"That joke is getting really old, Yosuke. Just give us table 25."

"Ah, two new witches I see." Does Yosuke know the amount of new witches purely by the ordered table? Do these two know each other for that long? "Very well, table 25 it is!"

The group is led upstairs, away to a room with just a single round eight-person table. Everyone takes their seats as Yosuke removes one of the sets of cutlery. "So, what can I offer you to drink?" Rei lets Shizuka go first, allowing her to order something to drink.

"Is it possible to get a Sazerac _{3}_ please?" Pretty much everyone looks dumbfounded at that idea, some not even knowing what that is. Rei is making subtle gestures to make sure that Yosuke treats this client literally as a king, making sure that Shizuka does not see her do that.

"I will see to it that you get it." Yosuke replies, being rather glad that the restaurant has its own bar. "So what would the rest like to drink?"

The others tell what they want to drink, though none are as absurd as Shizuka's drink.

"So… the house wine, two autumn beers, three cokes and a Sazerac. I'll make sure to bring that." Yosuke walks away, but not before giving everyone the menu card.

Shizuka looks over the card, and sees several options. There's a lot of possible dishes from all over the world, but it's probably the American tortilla that interests her the most. It's also the dish that fits in the most with her American cocktail, so that only makes it even better.

After a minute or three Yosuke has returned, this time with the drinks. Everyone orders their specific food, which are all noted down by the waiter. When asked for anything else Fuyuhime replies that she wants another coke, but that's all the extras. The waiter notes it down before returning to the kitchen, where he informs the chefs to start cooking.

Back at table 25 several topics are brought up as they wait for the food, from the supernatural to the non-supernatural. There's talk about Kyushu, the island where Alena will work in the future, people talking plans for the near future, just like there are a few questions about Shizuka's kingship itself. In the end there is only one thing that truly makes the young king wonder:

"So Fuyuhime, where did your weapon go?" Somewhere along the line Shizuka had lost sight of both of the witches' new weapons. When did they store it away?

"Well, obviously I used the spell of [Dismissal], what else?" Fuyuhime answers with a face that really questions the intelligence of Shizuka, as if she just asked how to breathe.

"[Dismissal]?" What is that? Shizuka has never heard of it. Is that some sort of spell to dismiss things with? Sure, given the name that sounds quite likely, but for all Shizuka knows it could be something else entirely.

Even the other branch head, Watanabe, begins to cast doubts on this situation. "Your highness… you… seriously don't know basic magic spells like those?"

"Shizuka-chan, even I know that…" With even Sakura knowing something like that, it makes everyone stare in disbelief at that lack of knowledge that this young king shows.

"Do I need to remind you all that a month ago I did not know that magic exists? Unlike most of you I wasn't spoon-fed this type of knowledge since I was a baby."

Everyone offers small apologies for forgetting this fact, those from Sakura and Fuyuhime being fully genuine, while those from the other four are mainly to prevent a king's anger levels from rising. Shizuka doesn't notice, so she accepts the apologies.

"So, could someone explain what exactly that spell does?"

"Oh, leave that to me." Alena speaks up, ready to give a good explanation. "You know what the astral plane is, right?"

"Yes, a parallel world to our own inhabited by several spiritual creatures, right?"

"For the most part that's correct, yes. It's a magic world where dwarves, elves and even deities live, but most of the world is actually completely empty. That section is called the [Dark Void]. Because there is nothing in it and it is hard to enter a specific place within there it's the perfect location to safely secure goods."

"Entering the astral plane from this realm is called hard," Watanabe adds to the conversation, "but that's only because living beings will have their mana constantly drained, faster than anyone but Campione can replenish. Sending non-living objects to the astral plane is actually a lot easier. In fact, I would dare to say that anyone with a week of training can do it!"

"As for the general principles, [Dismissal] works by sending an object away while at the same time marking it." Alena resumes her explanation, not needing her future boss to interrupt. "For something as simple as a weapon merely a set of spellwords combined with the summoner's DNA will do, while more secretive items have a lot more markers on them. Obviously [Summoning] is the reverse procedure: Using the markers you set for an item you resummon an object back into the real world."

"Well, that sound quite useful." Another advantage of being a mage, free storage space. Why are most of the best advantages of magic and kingship so surprisingly petty?

"While certainly useful it's recommended not to store too many objects. Say you store a hundred objects, then that requires you to remember a hundred different markers. If you even forget one then corresponding item is lost forever. And if you ever wrote all those markers down, can you imagine what would happen if someone steals that list?"

Yes, the big downside is visible. Even so, it sounds like a rather useful spell to know. "Say Fuyuhime, you should teach me those spells sometimes." Because it turns out that a keychain is not the best place to hide a legendary artifact. Locking it in another world seems like a much better idea.

Fuyuhime agrees to that, and just as the conversation starts to enter a new topic the delicious smell of food streams into the room. There stands Yosuke and another waiter, both carrying the lunch plates of the seven.

The time for talk is over. Now, it is time to eat!

-x-

 _After lunch_

Shizuka and co, having filled their bellies with food, are now back on their way home. They will go to the train station together before splitting ways, Shizuka towards her home and the other two to their university dorms. Since the ladies would rather take in some nature than the exhaust gases of cars they plan their route through Kinuta Park _{4}_.

It's rather desolate in the park, which is not really surprising. The park is famous for its cherry blossoms, and it's completely the wrong season to watch flowers bloom on the trees. There are still some people left, but it's not much. There are a few kids playing soccer on the soccer field and some elderly people sitting on benches, but there's not much else. Well, there are also two foreigners sitting on a nearby bench, but they're more an exception than a rule.

"Hey, Giobbe Gaetano, you were right!" Suddenly one of the foreign duo loudly shouts out these words, much to the annoyance of the other people in the park. "There really is an eighth king in Japan!"

Eight king. There's obviously only one meaning such words can hold: The speaker is perfectly aware of the existence of magic, and he speaks those words to a Campione without any form of fear. No, it is Shizuka who fears, fear that the interval where she doesn't get involved with other kings and deities is over.

The one who spoke is a handsome blond in his early twenties, with a tall and tightly sculpted physique. He is dressed in a bright red cardigan and denim pants, and slung over his shoulder is a tube that carries something so chillingly scary that even Shizuka can feel it.

This man has a rather handsome body, and a smile equal to the bright Mediterranean sun. Unlike Godou or Ichirou this man does not feel like a lady-killer, perhaps it is because of this frivolous air surrounding him that prevents his success with the ladies.

He stands right in front of Shizuka, and the two immediately lock eyes. "Hmm… it's you?" Uttering a few words to himself he examines the eighth king thoroughly, as if wanting to be fully sure that he is right. "Yeah, it has to be! Wow, still so young yet already a Campione, not bad, not bad! When I became a king I was already an adult, there's always some surprise when facing others of my kin."

Yeah, it's all clear now. Shizuka has met the British nobleman of lightning, and now another Campione has entered the fields of Japan. "A pleasure to meet you, fellow godslayer." Politely answering in return, Shizuka shows the Japanese custom of etiquette. "My name is Kusanagi Shizuka."

"Kusanagi… Shizuka, huh?" The other king recognizes the name, as it is the same of his good friend Godou. "Say, did you meet any other kings before me?"

"Yes, I know Alexandre Gascoigne… why?"

"Ah, no, I guess it doesn't really matter." Seems that the last name is just a coincidence. "Either way, my name is Salvatore Doni. Let's get along well, okay?" Salvatore extends his hand, wanting to shake hands as a sign of friendship.

"Likewise." Shizuka accepts the shake of friendship, glad that this does not seem as bad as that it really is. Perhaps peaceful solutions are actually possible for once? "By the way, how did you find out about my existence? I believe that I told the history compilation committee to stay quiet about my existence, and I doubt that that Gascoigne would've told you this information."

"Hmph, don't underestimate the investigative powers of the [Copper-Black Cross], o king!" The one speaking is a man of rather short height but strong build. For some reason Shizuka cannot determine this person's age, because he has a long beard akin to a pirate that hides his facial features. Anywhere between the age of twenty and forty is possible. "Even with limited information like this we can still determine the truth of rumors if we put our minds to it. Given what was known it became obvious that there has to be more than one Japanese king in existence!"

Hmm? That's quite the commendable skill. Shizuka doubts that she could've figured that out if she were in his position. That deserves at least some manner of respect.

"And how could I not try and figure out the true identity of the youngest king? A young girl, suddenly cast into the world of magic, obtains the magical power of a god so she can defend her country for love, peace, truth, and justice!"

…

Shizuka literally has no words for the stupidity of those last words. What the hell is wrong with this man?

Oh wait, Shizuka realizes it already. This is clearly an idiotic western otaku _{5}_ obsessed with those children's shows on television. Shizuka doesn't understand what kids see in them, let alone adults.

"…I believe that you might be slightly mistaken there." And with slightly, we mean a lot. Only a maniac would make up such ridiculous stories.

Giobbe looks a bit disappointed, but his Italian lord still has the same nonchalant air around him. "Ah, don't worry about those kinds of stuff. In fact, let's talk about the reason why I came here."

Shizuka perks her ears, wanting to hear what kind of proposition Doni has for her. What could it be?

"So, I have this minor suggestion: Would you have a duel with me?"

"What?"

No seriously, what? A duel? What kind of idiot travels around the world to duel his equals? This isn't the era of legendary swordsman like Miyamoto Musashi or Yagyu Yubei _{6}_ , have some common sense!

"There are very little opponents that are worthy challenges for kings like us." Doni gives his explanation for the stupid suggestion, but he only makes his own ideas seem stupider. "Pretty soon you'll be bored and wish for a good opponent. So how about we take care of that now, a nice little fight to commemorate our first meeting?"

"Please tell me this is a joke." Shizuka speaks with exasperation, having no more intention to handle this foreigner with respect. "I really am not in the mood for such insane ideas."

"Oh come on, are all Japanese like this?" Doni shouts out in frustration, really disliking the similarities between both of the Kusanagi. "Can't you see that I was hoping for something like 'sure, why not?' or 'let's fight a little right now?' as a response? I didn't expect that this entire island would be filled with tsunderes!"

Tsunderes? Where did he get that word from? Shizuka looks to the man who took a few steps backwards from Doni, the pirate called Giobbe and also probably Doni's source for that word. But let's set aside the influence of the otaku culture on non-otaku, that is not important right now.

"You did this too with the other Campione of Japan? How did that turn out? Did you randomly attack him?"

"Nah, just like now I asked nicely. He was the same as you, also calling it a joke. I had to make a few arrangements, like kidnapping his girlfriend, before he gave in to his true nature. After the battle we became great friends, so it was all worth it in the end. But to be fair, simply randomly attacking my enemy doesn't sound so bad either."

Oops, Shizuka accidentally gave this idiot an idea. That wasn't her intention… As it sounds now she will be either fighting a duel or she will be fighting a battle, but fighting itself is unavailable.

How absolutely annoying.

"Tsk. Fine then, I accept your duel. However, we won't be fighting right here and now." At least mitigate the damage as far as possible. Just take another day off from school, have a nice and clean duel, go home, and spend a happy birthday celebration without worrying about this idiot. "Tomorrow, at noon, in some sort of remote area where we don't cause millions of property damage."

Of course, saving millions of Japan's economy is nice and all, but the main reason Shizuka has for such a location is that it will prevent unwanted witnesses. After all, there won't be any disaster tourism if there is no disaster, right?

"Good, good! Sure, I can wait a day. There's also fun to be had in the anticipation of a duel."

Shizuka and co want to get away from this man, but another person enters the fray, this time from a man saying something in Italian:

"Salvatore Doni, from your actions I would say you have prepared yourself to spend your next holiday on the south pole. We've build a beautiful igloo for you where you can stay the rest of your life! What kind of idiotic stunt did you come up with this time that you found it necessary to keep this escapade a secret from me?"

A bespectacled man who stands even taller than Doni, with black hair slicked back over his head. He seems to be a meticulous person, completely the opposite of this Italian king. Especially his impeccable dress code seems to tell that he is in no way alike to the carefree Salvatore.

"My beloved Andrea, it is great to see you again! It was rather lonely to not have you join me to these eastern lands."

"Stop spewing nonsense, you trash! I am absolutely certain that you coming here in secret will only create more trouble for everyone. So what is it this time you want to do? Did you catch wind of another heretic deity or are you planning for a final conclusion to the match of half a year ago?"

"What do you see me for, Andrea? If I did any of that, I would've made sure to keep you occupied for a while." Shizuka suddenly does not want to know what this king's version of occupied is, as merely thinking about it makes her shiver. "I just heard of some really strange rumors, you know? There were a few people talking about an eighth king here in Japan, and I wanted to see if that was true. That's all."

"And when he found out that the rumors were true he decided to challenge the youngest king to a duel, with the promise that if his invitation were not accepted he would simply start a battle right here and now." Shizuka enters the conversation, speaking in fluent Italian without realizing it herself.

The other three people stay outside of the conversation. Giobbe doesn't talk because he believes it is best to stay neutral here, while Fuyuhime is too busy translating what is said to Japanese for Sakura.

Andrea thunders with anger as he hears Shizuka's words: "Salvatore Doni, you moronic scumbag! Definitely, you are the worst of the worst, the lowest lifeform on earth! Undoubtedly such idiocy could only come from you! Ugh, do you actually realize what a mess you made… again?!" Salvatore stays silent, seriously not understanding the fuss his friend makes.

"Yes, of course you don't, you are too goddamn stupid to realize." Andrea turns to Giobbe, and asks him from what magic organization he is.

"Just a member of the [Copper-Black Cross] who figured out the existence of an eighth king. Our lord here heard about my recent discoveries, and graced me with the opportunity to go and search for this newest lord. Refusal would've lead to, well, his usual angry behavior."

"Oh fantastic, and here I thought It couldn't get worse." Andrea sighs, really needing a drink. "Involving a prestigious magic association; instigating trouble with another king for no good reason… again; threatening to turn a national park into rubble; If news of this gets out the other organizations of Europe and Asia who knows how many will be shocked senseless. Just try to imagine how hard it is to keep this information contained! Think of the other people around you when you do such idiotic things you airheaded simpleton!"

Shizuka subconsciously nods, fully agreeing with Andrea. Salvatore on the other hand waves those worries away from him:

"Still the same old Andrea, huh? Always getting so worked up about appearances! What I do is perfectly norma-"

"Shut up with that nonsense, you moron amongst morons!" Shizuka found herself blurting out these lines accidentally, her limits to stupidity finally reached by this other king. In fact, Andrea said the exact same words too!

Butler and king look each other in the eyes, and sees a glimmer of kinship. Sure, their origin and power may be different, but both know the hardship of dealing with idiots for multiple years. A smile from both sides, realizing that they are not so different from another.

This might be the beginning of a wonderful friendship!

"So, Andrea, I doubt that that moron over there will back off from this fight, no matter how we persuade him." Completely ignoring Doni the other two continue the conversation, realizing that results can actually be made from this.

"Yes, if he doesn't get what he wants he will act like a spoiled baby and plot against those who did not do him his favor. I assume that the time and place of the duel have already been settled?"

"Only the time: Tomorrow at noon. For the location I want something where the damage will be restricted, preferably some backyard beach with little recreational value."

"Leave that to me. I'll make sure to find a suitable battlefield." The duo exchange cellphone numbers, keeping contact for short-term and potentially also for long-term purposes.

"Then I guess I will see you tomorrow. Good luck with keeping the idiot in tow."

"I also wish you the very best." With a polite bow Andrea turns around, dragging Doni away from here. Giobbe follows, leaving Shizuka with just her entourage.

The talk is over, now it is time for them to prepare for battle.

-x-

The youngest king and her two followers have entered an internet café, one specifically belonging to the committee. It's another in the long chain of businesses directly ruled from the dark world of magic.

"Greetings, ladies. What can I do for you?" The owner of the café heartedly greets the trio, acting like any good and normal store clerk.

Fuyuhime answers that question in a cryptic manner: "Nothing much, we merely need the knowledge of kings and gods."

"I see, I see." While that sentence would be illogical gibberish in any other shop here the clerk precisely understands that password. "Wait here for a moment." He goes back behind his counter, searching for a while before finding what he was looking for, an usb-stick.

He hands over the stick to Fuyuhime, along with a key to the staff-only room. The trio enter said room to find that it contains a single computer, a coffee table and a few chairs. There's also a vending machine in the corner but since they just ate no one is really thirsty right now.

Sakura starts the computer, and Fuyuhime puts in the information device. On the computer a new screen opens, this one merely containing a single bar to enter a password.

Fuyuhime enters a long string of letters and numbers before pressing enter, thus opening up a lot of files called the "HCC information storage", which Shizuka can guess is the private data of the committee. Fuyuhime opens the search function and enters the name of the sixth king, Salvatore Doni. Fuyuhime presses enter, which opens up the page describing the sixth king:

 _Name: Salvatore Doni  
Sex: Male  
Length: 185cm  
Land: Italy  
Title: King of Swords_

"Yes, that's him." Shizuka remarks, seeing the little picture in the top right of the screen. So there is an extensive database containing all other kings. She scrolls downwards, looking at the rest of knowledge written about this Campione:

Summary:

 _The sixth king, became a Campione in 2006 after slaying the king of the Tuatha De Danaan, Nuada Airgetlam. Considered equal in the art of the sword to war deities. He is always seen with a sword nearby, usually kept in a large storage tube. Whimsical in nature, his mania centers around having fun._

"They completely forgot to put in that he is a childish moron." Shizuka remarks, still remembering how dumb and idiotic that sixth king is. How can someone actually be that dumb?!

"That's on purpose." Fuyuhime assures, knowing perfectly well why that was not mentioned: "If the reports were to write that he has such a childish character then people might try to fight the king using that weakness, which equals suicide for the challenger and whoever lives on the battlefield."

"In other words, it's to keep other idiots out." Heck, random human challengers might even go after Shizuka if her identity gets known. Understanding this the eighth king moves onto the most important part of the report, the authorities:

 _[Rippling Arm of Silver]: The first authority of Salvatore Doni. Allows him to transform any melee weapon into a divine tool that can cut everything. This weapon can be altered in size and length by the sixth king. Capable of cutting a medieval fort in two with a single swing. Capable of crumbling a wall into dust with a single swing. Usually used on the sword Salvatore carries with him. Sign of activation is that Salvatore Doni's right arm turns silver. Obtained from the Celtic god-king Nuada Airgetlam._

 _[Man of Steel]: obtained from the Germanic hero Siegfried. Literally turns the king's body into steel. Grants defenses strong enough to even completely defend against authorities like [Red Punishment] or [White Stallion]. Increases Salvatore's weight the stronger his defense gets, but does not force him to sacrifice agility. Allows him to survive getting cast to the bottom of the sea without food or oxygen. While the original deity has a leaf-shaped weak spot on the back it is unknown if Salvatore Doni shares this weakness._

 _[Return to Medieval Times]: Little is known about this authority other than its ability. Makes a large area around Salvatore Doni unable to use anything technologically more advanced than the middle ages. At worst could potentially cover a city like Tokyo for multiple days. It is unknown what the exact requirements are for this authority, nor is it known from which god this power is obtained._

 _[?] Salvatore Doni has slain heretic Bacchus. According to Andrea Riviera, the king's butler, he managed to obtain an authority from it. However, all data on this power is unknown. It has never been used or shown in any situation. Regard this power with extreme caution, as it is unknown what its exact abilities are._

Shizuka sighs as she reads all these authorities of her enemy. "Really, a sword that can cut everything and armor that defends against everything? What absolutely ridiculous powers." Who even thought of this ridiculous combination of powers? It's like the spear-shield myth _{7}_ , except now it's happening in real life. At least his third authority isn't that bad, Shizuka doubts that Doni will use it in the upcoming duel.

"Look who's talking, miss control over the elements." Fuyuhime won't have any claims of ridiculous or absurd from Shizuka. No king is allowed to call anything ridiculous, that would be denying their own nature as the pinnacle of ridiculousness.

"Yeah, it's not like you're not a match for that blondie, Shizuka-chan!" Sakura adds in a few encouraging words, though in context Shizuka sees it as more accusations that she is not all that different from the Campione of Italy. Quickly the eighth king changes the subject:

"That aside, since this authority is quite literally just like the spear-shield myth that must mean that there is a conclusion too." Ultimate sword and ultimate shield. Since they cannot coexist, one must break before the other and accept that the other is the true ultimate.

"Considering he only used [Rippling Arm of Silver] to slay Siegfried I would say that the sword beats the armor." Fuyuhime gives a logical argument, which is most likely the truth. And if that is indeed so, then Shizuka believes she has taken the first steps to defeating those ridiculous powers.

Now, is there any more info about this king? Shizuka asks this question to Fuyuhime, who is reading the heads of Doni's article to find an answer:

"History, relationships and acquaintances, trivia… there is still some info left, but will you actually need it?"

A good point made by the witch. What will be the purpose of researching that? All Shizuka wanted was a bit of basic knowledge, to give her an idea of what is coming. It's not like her powers require her to know the entire history of her opponent or anything.

"No, I guess you're right." Yeah, Shizuka is ready to battle if she can go home and get a bit of rest tonight. Then she will be ready for battle.

Fuyuhime takes a final look at the data and is suddenly very glad that Shizuka made that decision. If only the young king read everything, then she would've seen Kusanagi Godou in the list of Salvatore's relationships. At least this keeps the secret a secret for just a bit longer.

"So Fuyuhime, Sakura-chan, what will you do tomorrow?" After all, they are not forced to join Shizuka to this mad battlefield. There's no reason for them to join this quest.

"My magic isn't good enough to support you in battle, Shizuka-chan, but of course I'll cheer you on." With bright optimism Sakura stands beside her lord, her bright attitude soothing weary hearts. Shizuka may not have used her authority to make Sakura a better mage, but the emotional support she provides is more than enough!

"Most magic is useless against Campione, so there is not much I can do. I… I may be almost useless in battle, b-but please use me!" Fuyuhime too, while a bit nervous, is brave enough to stand at the side of her king in times of war and strife, doing whatever she can to help.

"Thanks, you two." Seeing those two stand alongside her is a great encouragement, a power granted by those who follow in your footsteps. Shizuka will make sure not to disappoint them. "Let's keep it at this today. Let's go home and rest, and meet again tomorrow."

The other two agree, and after agreeing on minor stuff like the time and location where they will meet they go their own ways, each preparing for the special day.

-x-

 _December 1_ _st_ _, almost noon._

Shizuka has arrived at her destination alongside her two companions. After a trip of ninety minutes they now stand on the location of duel, a beach next to the small town of Kujikuri _{8}_. A mish-mash of European and Asian mages are working together to keep everyone not related to magic away from this battlefield. In the middle of it all stands one man, accompanied by his own companions:

Salvatore Doni. The ultimate swordsman, wielding the all-cutting sword and donned with skin of steel. Alongside him stand Giobbe Gaetano and Andrea Riviera, the latter looking rather annoyed by this all while Giobbe seems much more interested in watching this battle from afar then to actually do something himself.

A few strategies have popped in Shizuka's mind since, but there's no conclusive way to beat this man and his ridiculous powers. Won't stop the youngest king from trying, though.

The eighth walks over to the sixth, who is heartedly greeting his fellow king: "Yo, Shizuka, ready for our duel?"

"I guess I have to be, otherwise this battle will be a bit one-sided." Shizuka turns to the aides of her opponent, talking about what they will do in this battle. "So Andrea, what will you and Giobbe do? Are you going to watch this duel from the sidelines?"

"Yes, Doni isn't the type to bring others to fight with him." Doni nods, agreeing to those words. Andrea however looks with suspicion at Shizuka. "But who is this Giobbe you're talking about?"

Shizuka simply points at him, and Giobbe understand precisely what the problem is. With a sigh that seems to say 'not again' he explains the situation: "My name is not Giobbe, your highness. It's Gennaro Grantz, not any form of Giobbe."

"Then why did Doni call you that?"

Ugh. Andrea lets out a sigh of annoyance as he realizes the problem, another bad side of his friend, if you can call Doni that.

"Fucking hell, not again!" And once more Andrea gets mad at his friend. It's a common occurrence by now. "Salvatore Doni, how often did I tell you to at least remember someone's name?"

"Haha, my friend, it's just not my specialty. No matter how hard I try, I can only remember the names of those important to me." And with important, that is a list of only eight people: Every single godslayer in the world… and Andrea, of course.

"My bad, I should've known that an idiot like you will always be idiotic. Now shut your trap you asshole!" Andrea turns back to Shizuka, doing his best to show no hints of anger anymore. "Kusanagi Shizuka, we've emptied the beach for you. Will this suit you as the dueling grounds?"

"Actually, no. There is a different reason I asked you to find a deserted beach: It's so I can create a battlefield that nobody cares if it will be destroyed."

After all, Shizuka has an item perfect to create such a situation. While it may not be useful in battle it's perfect for creating a battlefield to fight on. Pulling out her cell phone from her pocket she unhooks the keychain attached to it. That keychain, the Ame no Nuhoko, the legendary creation spear of Japan, will now be used as a battlefield creation kit.

Hey, at least it's a step up from being used as a keychain!

Fuyuhime and Sakura both recognize this item, gifted two weeks ago by the committee. Yes, creating a temporary battlefield is certainly possible with this blade.

Now… how do you use this?

Shizuka has not really experimented with this item, considering that doing so might possibly lead to large scale disaster in the surrounding area, and affecting the millions of inhabitants of Tokyo badly is not something she wants to be caught doing.

Everyone waits in anticipation for Shizuka to use this blade, to show off the grace of a kin-

"Hey, how do you use this thing?"

Okay, perhaps that was a bit too much to ask. Shizuka never really considered irresponsible use of such a legendary weapon so she never even tried to activate it, let alone use it. It's impossible for her to operate such a weapon.

"Hey, is that a spear? Let me have a look at it, please?" It is Doni who actually answers that question, as he too takes a look at the legendary spear, interested by its design and function. A much as Shizuka cares he can look all he want, she doubts that he will make the situation any better or worse. There's no way that an idiot like him can figure out how to use such a delicate item, and if he simple looks at it he won't actually do something to harm the people in the vicinity.

Three seconds Doni looks at the blade before giving his opinion: "Hmm, it's not really a blade of steel, more a weapon of earth. Say, did you try to infuse it with some divine earth energy? I would do it myself, but I never slew an earth god or goddess." Spoken in his usual casual tone, Shizuka does not believe the words of a fool for even a little bit.

"Oh Earth, descend from the heavens!" But even if they are words from the biggest moron alive, it's always worth a shot if you don't have anything better. Shizuka is almost certain that this will not work, but the chance always exist.

Sacred words are spoken, and a small margin of the energy in the earth stone is used on the tiny blade. As if by magic-wait, literally by magic the weapon grows to its true size, a naginata of more than two meters tall.

"See, told you it would work." Against everyone's surprise Doni actually managed to successfully unlock the secret of this weapon. Now Shizuka can finally use it. "So, what are you going to do with this blade, huh?"

"Just stay there and watch." While she does not know how to activate this blade of legendary myth she does have a pretty good inkling on how to it, at least if Japanese myth is anything to go by.

Shizuka walks over to the sea and stabs Ame no Nuhoko in the sea water. Izanagi churned the chaotic mass of sea, and from the droplets falling off his blade he created the first island. That is the legend that will today be reborn.

The naginata is stirred clockwise, causing the sea to change into a small whirlpool. The sea has liquefied even more, and the beach has turned into mud. Most of the mages have retreated to higher ground, not wanting to be caught in this soft mud.

The sea also starts to shine, first pure white before becoming a kaleidoscope of light that contains every single color in the world. Because it held every color, it shined with unmatched colorlessness.

The Naginata is swiftly flicked upwards, and a few droplets hit the ocean floor a few meters away from where Shizuka is standing. From there, stretching outwards to the sea, an island rises from the bottom of the sea.

Actually… island is not the right word to describe this newly formed mass. The definition of an island is a chunk of land that is surrounded by sea. While this does fulfill the latter criteria it cannot be said that what Shizuka created is land.

Not land, not sea. It's an abomination that does not fit either. The official term for this would be a 'leech child', but Shizuka isn't aware of that term. At least it is obvious that she failed.

"Eh, I think you botched up a little there."

Oh fantastic, now even the Italian idiot is pointing out the flaws.

"Yes, I know." How can one man irritate people so much? Is he the result of all brilliant scientists in the world to genetically engineer the greatest annoyance in the history of mankind?

More importantly, how can this problem be solved? Shizuka recalls the legend of Japan's creation, and how that exactly went:

After Izanagi and Izanami created the first island they stepped on that island to procreate. They walked around a large circle, and when they met each other they complimented each other:

"Oh indeed, you are a beautiful and kind youth." Izanami spoke. This was followed by Izanagi, who spoke second:

"Oh, what a most beautiful and kind youth."

However, because Izanami spoke first the child was a deformed one without bones, and cast away in the sea. To create functional children they went around the pillar the other way, and Izanagi now spoke first. This led to the creation of 8 children who would make up the isles of Japan.

That is the creation myth. And in there is a small tidbit of information that leads to the problem.

They changed the way they walked around the pillar, and Shizuka has been stirring in a circular motion. There must be some connection between these two facts!

Instead of stirring Ame no Nuhoko clockwise Shizuka starts to stir counter-clockwise. The sand under Shizuka's feet, which used to be kind of gooey, returns to normal, and the leech child also turns back into a normal watery substance.

The stirring gets harder and harder. First it felt like Shizuka was stirring through air, but that quickly changed back to water and now it feels like mixing concrete.

Eventually the water gets tough enough that it can barely be stirred anymore, so Shizuka throws a few of the droplets out in the sea. With a small earthquake land rises from the sea, forming a patch of flat land around twenty meters out into the sea. It's size equals a soccer stadium, large enough for a duel.

"I guess that will do." Shizuka feels satisfied. It's a rather basic slab of land, but that also means it has no value and does no harm if it gets destroyed in battle.

"So that will be our battlefield, huh?" Doni looks at it, but for once he does not smile foolishly. "Hmm… say, mind if I lend that spear for a second? I want to try something real quick."

While Doni may be an idiot of the highest caliber he does not seem like an untrustworthy person, someone who would harm others for evil reasons. The only reason he would hurt others is by sheer stupidity, but there's little he can do to make this situation much worse.

"Sure, but do remember to give it back immediately afterwards."

Doni takes the spear before performing a long jump to the new island. A jump of thirty meters like that is easy for a mage, just use a spell like [Leap] and you can do it too. But Doni doesn't know that spell. In fact, while with his current body he can use spells the incantations never stick around in his mind. This was a leap purely done with the strength of his body, an impossibility only Doni can perform.

On the island he starts to use Ame no Nuhoko, with surprisingly amazing results:

Through a combination of stirring, jumping and flicking Salvatore has reshaped the battlefield to be adorned with large pillars, each being at least a meter thick and ten meters tall. Looking at his work with self-satisfaction he almost forgot that he had to return this weapon in his hands. Doni doesn't want to be the one who is known for not keeping his promises, so naturally he will return it!

Shizuka feels herself shuddering, her instincts flaring. Doni stands on that island with his body almost limp, but everything is telling her he is planning something. Suddenly Doni turns blurry, which is the sign for Shizuka to get out of where she stood immediately! Quickly she steps to her right, and not even a tenth of a second later she hears something whizz through the position she just stood in. Looking back she sees what exactly happened:

That damned idiot threw the spear back! If she didn't react in time she would've been impaled! That moron, is he that willing to start the fight?

Luckily for the rest of the people there the spear was thrown slightly downwards, landing close behind Shizuka. It does not reach far enough to be able to hit anyone other than her.

"Shizuka lodges the weapon out of the sand, and tries to return it to its original form. The former is easy, the latter on the other hand… The weapon stays in its active state, and there is nothing Shizuka can do about it. She really needs to learn [Summoning] and [Dismissal] soon, but sadly enough now isn't the time for that. Now she has to start a duel.

She hands Ame no Nuhoko over to Sakura to keep it safe, and asks Fuyuhime to use [Flight] to transport her over to the island. Fuyuhime complies, and quickly the two of them have entered the arena. Fuyuhime jumps to the edge of the battlefield, preferring not to get caught in the crossfire of kings. This leaves the two Campione alone, in the middle of the battlefield, where they will hold a duel of legends!

"Are you absolutely insane?!" but that battle can only start after a bit of Shizuka admonishing her opponent. "Who throws around weapons like that for no good reason?"

"Hahaha! Does it matter? Ol' teach always said to train in the art for decades to become a master, but I couldn't even hit you just now. As expected of my kin!"

Doni laughs cheerfully, not caring about being admonished. However, there is a shadow in his pupils which shine like the sun, hidden bloodlust proving that this man is not a simple airhead.

"Training, talent? It doesn't matter. Weak people stay weak, and strong people are strong even if they never train at all! I'm so glad to have met another strong person like me!"

An idiot. Doni is an idiot of the highest order. Nobody can deny that. However, can they see his primal intelligence, the wisdom of a fool? If Shizuka does not give it all she got she will certainly die against an opponent like him!

"So, Shizuka, ready to duel?" Doni take the container from his back, opening it to reveal that it holds a sword inside. Compared to the chills it gave her yesterday Shizuka does not see what the danger is of this weapon. It's a weapon, yes, but it's not some legendary Excalibur. It's a piece of mass production with no traces of magic, something even an everyman can buy if he knows a blacksmith. But the moment Doni actually wields the sword he starts to get terrifying. Compared to the moment he threw Ame no Nuhoko at Shizuka the monarch currently standing in front of Shizuka is much more dangerous!

"O metal, descend from the heavens!" Summoning the stone of metal to her side Shizuka readies herself for imminent combat.

"So, is that stone part of your authority?" Doni lets his sword hang limply to his side, making him seem only more dangerous. "Hmm, okay then, I guess that this is where the fun starts! Let's duel!"

-x-

{1} Sancus and Orcus: Sancus is the Greek god of trust, honesty and oaths who blesses those who keep their vows. Orcus is his counterpart, a Roman god of the underworld and punisher of oath-breakers.

{2} Nagamaki: A Japanese longsword with an increased handle length, mainly used against cavalry. Most famously used in the armies of warlord Uesugi Kenshin.

{3} Sazerac: A cocktail made using sugar, rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud bitters, Angostura bitters and ice, served with a lemon slice. It's quite tasty, at least according to the author.

{4} Kinuta Park: A park in Setagaya ward, Tokyo. Perhaps one of the world's most famous places to watch the cherry blossoms bloom, but other than a few sports facilities it's rather barren. As a results it gains a third of its yearly visitors in fourteen days of spring.

{5} Otaku: You, obviously. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this fanfiction on the internet.

{6} Miyamoto Musashi and Yagyu Yubei: Both are famous ronin from the end of the warring states era, wandering samurai who lived and died for a good battle. The former was a wandering swordsman who defeated Sasaki Kojirou and became known for mastering dual sword techniques. Yagyu is a wandering swordsman who served the Tokugawa and became their sword instructor, and is known for wearing an eyepatch.

{7} Spear-shield myth: A story from China about a businessman who sold spears that could pierce anything and shields that can block anything. When asked what would happen if the two were pitted against each other, he had no answer. Created the Chinese word for contradictory.

{8} Kujukuri: A small town in Chiba province. Popular in summer amongst surfers, but rather desolate in winter.

-x-

Well, that's another chapter done. As you can guess this chapter sets up the battle with Salvatore Doni. What's a Campione story without a good king v king fight?

Of course, it doesn't allow the writer to create a new deity, but it has other advantages. For example, you already know what both sides can do, limiting the amount of deus ex machinas a writer can pull. Another positive thing is that it brings in a few other characters that do not show up often in the official story.

Either way, let's talk a bit about my favorite subject: killing people!

…

No, of course I'm not talking about killing people in real life, I'm talking about killing characters off in a story. It's a special event that always serves a certain purpose, all six of those purposes are listed below:

1) Killing for the sake of the overarching goal. Basically, when the story's purpose is to have the selected person die. Example given of such a story in the Campioneverse: OC lost family and friends when he was young because a Campione destroyed the city he lived in. OC realizes the power of a Campione, and decides to become a king himself to take revenge on that evil godslayer. Eventually he became a king and after a long time he manages to slay the evil godslayer in combat. In this story you sacrifice a monarch to drive the story, and is in my opinion the best way to have someone die.

2) Doing someone in for the reaction. Unlike the above example the death is not the goal but the cause. The story deals with how other people react to someone's death. How would Godou react to the death of Erica? How would [Black Arsenal] struggle to keep its head above water if Alec dies? Pretty much a good instant drama story.

3) Killing to shift a genre. In other words, when you want to prove that a story turns dark by killing off an important character. The official twentieth chapter (if it ever comes out) of Campione will probably contain this, to prove the kings have entered a large battle royale.

4) Murder a powerful person to make someone else seem more powerful. In general I discommend to use this except for when the enemy is the final boss. After all, if some mid-boss did it then every enemy afterwards also needs to do that to even look remotely threatening. Do not use more than once in the same story, or it would start to get silly.

5) One that I used, killing someone because he serves no more purpose to the story. I planned to do this with Alec in chapter 6, since the whole Circe arc is discontinued in this fic. In the end I realized that he might make for another fun fight and mystery so I kept him around… although he might need a hand now. Only use this in emergencies, or if the story stops making sense if the character sticks around.

6) The final one, and by far my least favorite, killing someone because the author doesn't like him very much. That has no redeemable qualities, and while you might get some likes from people who support your view there will also be tons who dislike how the story turned out, and you wasted a possibility to give him or her a more useful death. If you want someone to die very badly in your story, mask it to make it look like one of the above.

So, for anyone wondering why I do this, well, it's to answer a question someone asked me about a character I killed. It's none other than… Athena! Seems there are some people who want her back, which proves that she's clearly one of the more popular characters of the series.

However, the reason I killed her is because she has no more purpose. The story doesn't make sense if Athena sticks around, so she is dead. For good. Not coming back. So is Guinevere. Too bad, but I stand my ground on this subject: Those two are not returning.


	8. Kings full of Aces

The two kings stand opposed to each other, with weapons drawn to face each other: In Doni's hand is his trusty sword, while Shizuka wields the stone of metal. Distance between the two is ten meters, allowing a melee strike within a less than a second.

"Eh, so that stone is your authority?" Doni looks puzzled at the stone floating to the other king's side. It's about half as big as Shizuka is tall, but there's clearly a lot of power hiding inside of it. "Good, good. I guess that the time for warm up is already over."

"Just get this battle started already." Shizuka has no interest in this fight, but she would rather have it over sooner than later. It's the same as with the dentist or a report, the sooner you're finished with it the more free time you have left.

Doni lets out a small smile, happy that the promised duel can finally begin. "Sure. Since you just showed your authority, how about I show you mine?"

Magical energy surges through Doni's right arm, an overwhelming amount that would make any ordinary mage shudder in fear. "Hereby I swear, I forbid the existence of things I cannot cut!"

The right sleeve of Doni's cardigan bursts off, destroyed by the magical power. Starting from the top Doni's arm starts to turn silver, and in mere moments Doni's entire right arm has been recolored.

However, this is not something as simple as Doni's arm getting a silver coating, compared to silver paint. No, the arm literally turned into a magnificent silver sculpture! How utterly absurd!

"This sword is the blade that slices through all existence. Namely, the invincible sword!"

The blade in his hand starts to shine brightly, a white glimmer covering the entirety of the blade. The blade that was once an ordinary sword has turned into the ultimate destroyer of existence!

A simple horizontal swing is used on the pillar next to Doni. In a single fluid motion the pillar has been cut in halve. But that was not all:

Slice.

Slice slice slice.

Slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice slice.

With a single cut the pillar was literally sliced to the size of pebbles, the number of sword trails numbering in the hundreds.

"Shizuka, this is my authority!" With this Doni is ready to start the fight, waiting For Shizuka to chant her own spell words to activate that stone.

The magic sword that can cut anything, what an utterly terrifying power. Reading about this [Rippling Arm of Silver] is enough to deem it insane, but seeing it in real life is ten times worse.

However, that does not mean that it is invincible. The eighth king has had enough time to think up a countermeasure: "If that is your declaration of power, then know that it is as ridiculous as you are. However, do not think that it is unequaled, Salvatore Doni!"

Italy's king originally took that line as a compliment, but now he is getting intrigued. This king has something that can equal his blade? "Then why don't you show me, Shizuka? What authority do you have that can equal my blade?"

Shizuka answers that question with divine chanting of her own: "Then I too will create the ultimate blade! The sword that can cut through all existence, the things I cannot cut are none!"

Out of the black stone a longsword appears, a weapon as dark as the black philosopher's stone itself. Its blade is around three feet long with a foot-long hilt, and lacks anything other than a hilt and a blade. The darkness seems as if it wants to stream off, disappear to nothingness, but Shizuka did not spend forty percent of [Metal] to let it simply flow away again. Shizuka grabs the blade, and pulls it in its entirety out of the stone.

"?" Even Doni looks surprised at the trick Shizuka pulled off. To put power behind her words Shizuka too makes a single swing on a pillar next to her.

Compared to Doni's swing it's a rather pathetic swing, but not without results. Countless cuts slice her pillar into bits of the same size as the pebbles the king of swords created.

"Will this suffice, Salvatore Doni?"

"Hmm… is that your authority, to copy other's authorities?" An interesting concept, though Doni wouldn't have a clue what deity was slain to create such an authority.

"Who knows?" Shizuka answers with a smug and taunting grimace. "Perhaps we slew the same god, and obtained the same authority. Or maybe it is something completely different?"

"Yes…" Doni's smiles fades, his savage wisdom finally showing its true colors. There's something wrong here, something wrong about the authority Shizuka produced.

"However, what are you planning to do? Through wit and trickery you managed to slay a god, just like old man Voban or K-the other Japanese king." No need to throw off the enemy by telling her about what might be a future familial crisis, that's a rather low blow Doni does not want to use. "You're as dangerous as demonic beasts, perhaps even more, but you're not a warrior trained in the way of martial arts like myself. You should know what the outcome of this battle is if we fight my way."

Out of ten battles, Doni will win ten times. Out of a hundred duels, Doni will win a hundred times. Shizuka is not a martial artist. Her walk, her aura, her stance, none of them give even the slightest indication of being skilled with that type of weaponry. A swordfight will be a guaranteed loss for the youngest king.

"Perhaps what you say is true. However, if we cross swords than that doesn't mean that I automatically lose. Why don't you try to figure out what I mean?" But if that is true then Shizuka will deny that logic with all her might!

A small chuckle form Italy's monarch, who is truly interested in Shizuka's defiance. Most likely she has a trap in preparation for him, similar to the black prince of lightning. Doni will admit, he's the highest grade of idiot, lacking the intelligence to see through the enemy's tactics. However, foolishly challenging the enemy and persevering is Doni's main strength. Be it man or devil, whatever stands in Doni's way will be obliterated!

"Okay Shizuka, I'll see what you got for me." Suddenly Doni becomes even more terrifying than he already was. The bloodlust he emitted just moments ago is completely gone. He walks towards Shizuka as if meeting a friend he has not seen in a while, with a simple and friendly pace that tries to make the youngest king lose attention.

That alone is deadly. The moment Shizuka loses her guard she will die. Keeping herself focused on the enemy she tracks down the movements of her enemy carefully.

Doni walks forwards, doing nothing else that even triggers the slightest bit of hostility. The distance between the two kings gets crossed bit by bit, until there is only two meters left between the two kings. In kendo this distance would be called issoku itto-no-mai, the one-foot one-sword distance. If either of the two combatants takes a step forwards they will be able to strike the other and get hit in return.

The hidden bloodlust of the sixth king suddenly skyrockets, using the dissonance of battle energy to perform a sword strike at blurring speeds.

Shizuka cannot see the strike clearly. It's an attack skilled enough to be called divine, and Shizuka should not be able to defend herself against it. Trusting her own instinct she tries her best to defend against this strike, and with some luck she actually succeeds!

With her own sword Shizuka manages a block, stopping Doni's silver sword from cutting her in half. It's sloppy in execution, and a swordsman on the level of that moron can easily exploit the gaps she left to obtain a clean cut on her body. If this were a normal swordfight she would be dead by the second strike. Good thing then that it is not a battle of swords, but a battle of invincible authorities:

Because Doni's silvery-white sword is the all-cutting invincible blade, Shizuka's sword is cut in half and obliterated.

Because Shizuka's black sword is in the all-cutting invincible blade, Doni's sword is cut in half and obliterated.

Therefore the swords create mutual destruction, destroying each other in the process!

Damn, Doni curses inwardly as he realizes the trick used by this young king. Among mages, Salvatore Doni's [Rippling Arm of Silver] is considered to be the authority amongst Campiones without weaknesses. It has no limitations, amount of uses, or anything like that, simply being a blade that can cut anything. Nice and simple, fitting Doni. However, it is wrong to say that there is no limit to this power. In fact, Shizuka exploited its one mayor weakness to prevent Doni from using this authority:

[Rippling Arm of Silver] requires a blade. The authority without limits can only be activated if Doni wields a weapon. It does not even specifically need to be a weapon, just something with the shape of it suffices. There is almost always one to find in the nearby area, but it is a limit nonetheless that has now been used against him!

On this barren island with his only weapon destroyed there is nothing that can function as Doni's blade, making his first authority useless!

"O blood of the evil Fafnir, bestow upon me the fate of invulnerability."

So? He may have lost his all-cutting sword, he still has his invincible armor! Activating [Man of Steel] Doni plans to literally crush Shizuka beneath his weight. He may not equal Luo Hao in unarmed combat, but his skills are still far above that of the average martial artist, and that will bring him victory! Taking another step forward Doni plans to turn this into a wrestling match.

"Steel reforged, steel reborn. The blades created by the engines of war are unlimited!" However, Doni isn't the only one who has authorities left. In Shizuka's hand another black sword of all-cutting appears, the same as she wielded before. Unlike Doni her authority does not need a weapon as a base, allowing her to easily reform the invincible blade!

Now Shizuka is the one wielding the all-cutting blade, and Doni knows from his own history how the battle between [Rippling Arm of Siver] and [Man of Steel] ends.

The distance between the two kings is short, way too short. Doni has the option to attack, but doing so will give Shizuka enough time and space to land a fatal blow. Really, this is the first time Doni has to fight his own authority, and it's as troublesome as others believe it to be. How incredibly interesting and fun!

The sixth king tries to pedal backwards, to get out of the range of that blade. Get away, and try to find an opening in her attack. If Doni can increase the reaction time he has for dodging the enemy's blade his superior skill will certainly prevent that sword of Shizuka to hit.

"I won't let you!" But Shizuka does not seem to let him off so easily. A downwards slash, the most basic of basic sword strikes in kendo. Swiftly she swings the blade downwards, hoping to catch the enemy king with her attack.

Salvatore Doni tries to dodge, but with this little distance he cannot prevent the blade from connecting! The top of the left shoulder is where the blade strikes, cutting downwards to kill the sixth king.

"With this single strike I will bring extinction. That which opposes me will be cut down to dust!" Spell-words for pouring all of the blade's power into a single attack. Normally the blade she created can last a minute or two without losing power. However, Shizuka will not get another chance like this strike, so she has to give it everything she got for this single downwards strike.

"Even if the body is crushed and scattered, the sword never dies! The chipped blade gets sharpened by the smith, polished anew! No sword will destroy me!" But if Shizuka gives it her all to destroy Doni then he tries to prevent his own demise at all costs!

The two powers clash inside of Doni's shoulder, eventually reaching the climax when a small explosion creates a shockwave between the two kings. Salvatore Doni, whose weight has become nearly immeasurable thanks to his second authority, firmly stands his ground while lightweight Shizuka is blown back several meters. However, the blade strike was not without effect:

Right next to Doni lies his left arm, which Shizuka successfully cut off from his body. The all-cutting sword managed to cleanly get through, turning the arm in a lifeless bit of metal that fell to the ground.

Doni stands stupefied by what just happened. If it weren't for [Man of Steel] then that blow would've been fatal. He has to be grateful that he's let off with losing just an arm. His remaining right arm is no longer silver, having poured all his energy in his second authority to block that attack.

"Want to call it quits? You've literally been unarmed." Shizuka has had quite enough of this duel. This tactic of hers let her call first blood and it created a large injury on the enemy. She would rather quit while she's ahead.

"Oh, you mean this?" Doni's remaining arm points at where once used to be his other arm. "Don't worry, it's but a scratch."

"A scratch?" Here's the winner for understatement of the century! "Your arm's off!"

"Oh, I've had worse." Doni starts to speak like a sore loser, with even Shizuka pitying this enemy king. "No seriously, you should've seen me during my fight with Bacchus! Now that was bad, I'm surprised I can still walk after that incident!"

"Look, whether or not this is the worst thing to happen to you isn't important, I just cut off your arm. I would say that the fight's mine with that blow."

"I'll admit that you won the first round, but don't worry, I'll repay that debt in the second!"

Just stop and quit already! Shizuka wants this duel to be over, Fuyuhime and Sakura want this duel to be over, Andrea wants this duel to be over, everyone but Doni wants this duel to be over! Learn to read the damn atmosphere, moron!

"So what are you going to do now that you lost your arm and your weapon? Bleed on me?"

Doni laughs at the joke that was meant as an insult, but calmly tells Shizuka his opinion. "Yes, losing my weapon is probably the worst thing to happen today. Did you really have to break it? I liked that sword, it was a collector's edition!"

Such eschewed priorities this Italian king has. Who cares about the rarity of the blade in such a situation? Shizuka would almost call Doni out on this fact were it not for the counterargument that Doni gives as his tone shifts to being completely serious:

"Now I guess that you think that I can't use my invincible blade without a weapon, right? If you did a bit of research on me then you should believe in that fact." True, Shizuka's entire plan was based on destroying that [Rippling Arm of Silver], which succeeded quite well. Now if only Doni can admit his defeat. "However, if you believe that I would give up simply because I lack a weapon then your plan is half-baked."

Doni can read a grumble off his opponent's face, proving that his theory struck gold. "In fact, even the execution of your little tactic was half-baked. It's true that I need a weapon to create my all-cutting blade, but it does not specifically need to be made for war. As long as it's one to two meters long and I can grip my hand around it I can turn it into a weapon."

"O wood!"

What is Doni talking about? Shizuka does not understand what that idiot tries to say, but decides to switch to [Wood] in case Doni tries anything funny.

"A twig would work, or a fishing rod… now Shizuka, you may be right that neither of those can be found on this artificial island, but could there perhaps be something else that is thin and cylindrical?"

Oh no. Nononono. Shizuka fully understands what Doni plans to do. She has created the only weapon-like item on this island: it's Doni's left arm, the one she cut off!

"It may be more of a club than a sword, so I won't be able to give it my all, but I guess it will do for now." Doni grabs the cut off arm, chanting the spell words for that dreaded authority:

"That which cuts all; That which destroys all; hereby I swear that none will be safe from my invincible existence!"

Doni's remaining right arm turns silver, and the arm he holds in his right hand becomes a white club that can crush everything.

"So, ready for round two?"

Doni does not even wait for an answer as he comes straight at Shizuka again, this time with renewed vigor to crush his enemy.

"The planet, blossoming with nature! Lands become fertile and green, dead stone replaced with life, the rebirth of flora and fauna!"

If Doni will fight again then Shizuka has to respond in kind. Using the magic of wood she turns the dead stone island into one with an abundance of life. The stone ground turns into earth, and on top of it a field of grass rapidly grows, while the stone pillars turn into perennial trees. Branches from the trees wrap themselves around Doni's upper body, while the grass forms long vies that tie down the sixth king's legs.

"Stopping me from moving, huh?" For once this is happening to the opponent instead of her, which Shizuka rather likes. Guinevere was right, this tactic is really useful if you know how to apply it! Now to use one of the three stones left to deal a precise but decisive blow. Perhaps also cut off his other arm to prevent him from wielding a sword, and if that isn't enough then the legs can also be cut without being fatal.

"However, that won't be enough, Shizuka." With a simple flick the branches around the club are destroyed, and with flexible motions he cuts away the branches on the rest of his arm. This all took a second to do for Doni. In another second he freed his torso and other arm, and in the third one he freed his legs. This whole idea of Shizuka only bought her three seconds, far too little as Doni is racing towards her!

Doni's arm turns into a blur, and before Shizuka realizes it she can feel terrible pains in her left flank, just as she is flown several meters backwards. Shit, that idiot has managed to land a strike on her! It's a blow equal to instantaneous killing, absolutely fatal. Shizuka cannot even form coherent words anymore, so much does it hurt. Screaming it out she uses the remaining energy of wood as an emergency healing device, but Doni is already preparing for a second attack to finish her off. Before Shizuka knows it he's coming her way again!

As Shizuka still suffers from the first strike of Doni she can actually hear Fuyuhime chanting, who is standing thirty meters to the right of the duo of kings. She has suddenly decided to start using spell words, for the first time in this entire battle:

"The blade of war never stops, the blade of battle never ends. Chishuuha _{1}_ , blade of unlimited battlefields, I ask of you to appear in the hands of this witch!"

In Fuyuhime's hands that cross between a katana and a naginata appears, before transforming into a traditional double-edged European longsword. Doni seems to ignore the witch, focusing more on damaging Shizuka, but the younger king realizes that Fuyuhime might have a plan to save her.

Doni plans to strike again, but he suddenly becomes wary as he notices a sudden surge in magical power. Fuyuhime's magical power suddenly turns into an amount that is way more than that of an average magus, as if she is creating a massive spell that is meant for hurting and killing a godslayer!

"Lightning and horse. These two are the ancient origins of steel. The divine bolt of justice that slays evil, and the loyal companion that accompanies the hero. Now, as a reminder to all those who are evil, fear the one wielding the strength of steel, for lighting will strike down and bring retribution, riding the galloping servant of heroes!"

Fuyuhime trusts the sword in her hand, aiming it at the foolish king of Italy. In response to this gesture the magical energy around Fuyuhime turns into a large bolt of lightning, ignoring natural laws to swim through the air towards the sixth king.

That bolt is powerful indeed. If Shizuka took it head-on she wouldn't be dead, but she can at least expect to suffer from some second-degree burn marks along with temporary paralysis. If Doni gets hit by such an attack then he would be out of commission for long enough to allow Shizuka to deal a decisive blow. What technique or spell Fuyuhime just used is not known to Shizuka but it is an amazing trump card Fuyuhime learned. At least some words of praise need to be given for this ability.

However, Doni simply catches a glimpse of this attack before deciding that it is not worth looking at. Sure, that lightning might be capable of harming gods, but what can it do against [Man of Steel]? Doni has nothing to fear, so he simply ignores the attack aimed to strike him down.

That might actually be a bit of a mistake on Doni's part.

True, the attack cannot harm Doni. However, if Doni had increased the defense of his second authority he would weigh enough to not be affected by the pushing power of the attack!

Without harming Doni the bolt of lightning pushes him over the grass, overpowering the force of friction the sixth king has with the ground. The push causes Doni's swing to be off, as he has been pushed two meters to the side.

Now that a bit of breathing room has been created Shizuka absorbs the last bits of energy from [Wood] and summons another stone from her repertoire, this time summoning the stone of [Water]. However, that is not the only stone she wants to use:

"O Water, O Steel, descend from the heavens!"

Shizuka is not planning to kill Doni with this attack, but to give herself a large amount of time to recover. To do that she needs a distraction, some sort of divine beast, and what sounds better as a distraction then something with the speed and power of lightning? Fuyuhime used it just now, and that helped Shizuka tremendously. If she can perform such a power on the level of an authority then she has a lot of time left.

However, the beasts that can be summoned by [Water] are shelled beasts, things like turtles, hermit crabs or snails, who all have a rather sad reputation of being terribly slow. To create a swift creature of lightning another stone needs to be used as the base.

Amongst the four other stones there is one which has a little bit of residue left, enough to create a base in which the stone of water's powers can manifest through. That is [Steel], the stone of which Shizuka has already used eighty percent. That stone can be used to create furred beasts, among which speedsters like the jaguar belong to. Perfect, that will do for Shizuka's cause.

A furred beast with the powers of lightning, Shizuka will create such a being to come to her aid:

"O thunder, O lightning! The usurper, the despot, lord amongst beasts! Without fear, without doubt, nothing dares to stand in your way lest they be destroyed. I command you, prove your strength to me and slay Salvatore Doni!"

The spell words to create the ultimate distraction, it creates a large bolt of lightning from the sky that drops down right in front of Shizuka. There it stands, the beast that must win time for Shizuka:

A quadrupedal monster with lupine features, From head to tail it is almost eighteen meters long. Its body is covered in turquoise scales, with golden flat spikes forming deadly rows on its shoulders, chin, back and the upper part of his legs. His back is covered in white fur, and the paws and tip of the tail are also completely covered in golden spikes _{2}_. It lets out a bellowing roar, as lightning from the air strikes the beast until its fur stands on end and he glows an electric blue.

The monster looks at his opponent, seeing a strong opponent in this warrior. It readies itself for battle, preparing to kill this man for his master.

The monster itself bears the most resemblance to the Raiju, a divine create from Japanese mythology that serves the god Raijin _{3}_. This is a beast so strong that even a large group of experienced great knights would have trouble defeating this ruler of lightning.

But alas loyal beast, your opponent is an invincible godslayer. Your defeat is all but guaranteed.

Even so… But even so! The Raiju will not give up easily! The beast has his own pride, his own will. For the sake of its master, it will obliterate what stands in its way! Slowly and dignified it walks to the enemy as thunder strikes down with every step the Raiju takes. Trees get destroyed by the lightning, pulverizing the battlefield, showing off that Doni must not take this beast lightly.

Now that the beast is ready to fight Shizuka calls over to her other ally, who has been helping Shizuka quite a lot so far: "Fuyuhime! Get me out of here!"

Fuyuhime does as told and clings tightly around Shizuka. "O wings of Artemis, grant me the power to journey through the day and soar across the heavens!"

As Fuyuhime speaks the incantation Shizuka and Fuyuhime find themselves gliding through the air. Not for long, though, as their location is only a hundred meters ahead, somewhat further on the beach.

When Fuyuhime lets go Shizuka immediately falls on the beach, breathing heavily as the inside of her body is crushed by that swing of Doni. Damn, that was a mayor set-back to her plans! By analyzing the data on Salvatore Doni yesterday she could make a rough tactic to counter his authorities. If that blade of his is literally all-cutting then Shizuka should be able to use [Metal] to copy that authority. With that fake blade she should be able to counter both his sword and his armor if Doni underestimates the eighth king even the slightest bit.

As Shizuka predicted so it happened: She destroyed his blade and cut through [Man of Steel]. However, this is where Shizuka got sloppy. She expected the idiot form Italy to give up after losing his beloved sword, but Salvatore Doni is not someone who gives up that quickly. Without a back-up plan Doni has taken full reign of this battle, and with a new all-cutting blade he is more dangerous than ever!

But that isn't even Shizuka's biggest problem. Sure, that sword… arm of his is a true monster, a weapon that would've instantly killed Shizuka if she didn't use the power of [Wood] to heal herself. However, the thing that is the biggest obstacle to victory is that armor of his, his second authority obtained from heretic Siegfried. How can Shizuka get past Doni's [Man of Steel]?

Copying his all-cutting sword was the only thing Shizuka could think of to get past it, and that tactic worked. However, the blow was not fatal nor did it make Doni want to give up. Now she only has [Fire] and [Earth] left, neither of which can actually get past that armor.

Fleeing would force her to be on the run for at least seven days, and considering that Doni seems to have quite the amount of investigative resources at his side he will probably find Shizuka before the stones are recharged.

No, Shizuka somehow has to settle it right here and now. But what can she do?

"Kusanagi Shizuka, I hope that that damned trash isn't causing trouble." Walking over to the eighth king is the sixth's butler, Andrea Riviera. For once he does not look all to angry, in fact, you could almost say that he looks happy. Perhaps because this time there's nothing of real value destroyed by the antics of his friend and king he has no reason to be mad?

"That's impossible." Shizuka oh so wishes that to be true, but reality isn't that kind. "I doubt that that idiot actually can do something that doesn't cause any kind of problems."

Andrea gives a sigh, completely agreeing with those words. "Yes indeed. Please tell me you have given me a good reason to send him on a recovery vacation for a very, very long time."

"Does cutting off his arm count?"

Andrea actually looks surprised for once. "You cut off his arm? That's… impressive, to say the least."

"You sound as if that never happened before."

"Well, in Doni's battles with the other kings he usually got defeated without suffering damage like that. After he obtained [Man of Steel] and fought Marquis Voban the Balkan devil obtained victory by trapping him inside a city before using [Red Punishment] to burn him for seven days and nights; China's Luo Hao threw Doni into the middle of a plateau before dropping a mountaintop on him, and your fellow Japanese peer dropped Doni into the middle of lake Garda _{4}_. The worst damage he suffered from all these fights were a few first degree burn marks."

"Oh great." So even other kings have trouble harming this idiot? Ugh, now she really is out of ideas to stop Doni. However, there's something else that needs to be done right now. "Hey Fuyuhime, can you give me one of those?"

Fuyuhime reaches to the inside of her coat, from which she grabs a bottle with an odd-looking liquid. She unscrews the cap, and offers it to Shizuka. The Campione chugs the liquid down, feeling the powers of that herbal potion helping to restore Shizuka.

What? It's not as socially wrong as the mouth-to-moth method, and there are no real downsides if you can keep the healing by kissing as an emergency plan. Only a pervert would prefer the method of bodily contact.

Now being able to stand steady again Shizuka turns back to the sixth king's butler: "In other words, he never got harmed before with that authority active?"

"Indeed. Now, the good news of this is that I can give him a very long recovery period." Now grinning evilly Andrea Riviera finally sees a chance at heaven for himself. "After all, losing an arm is quite horrible, and while that trash can easily put that lost part back on his body he will need months to rehabilitate before he can swing that sword perfectly again. In case he doesn't need months to recover, well, then I will make it months." Andrea gets in a small fit of evil laughter, and Shizuka almost feels bad for Doni.

Emphasis on almost. She can't truly feel bad for that idiot. However, listening to Andrea gives her a last option, one final idea to deal with this idiotic sixth king. If that doesn't work then she is willing to accept her loss, but until then she will do everything she can to obtain victory!

As she prepares her final plan she does briefly wonders how her summon is doing against that idiot…

-x-

Amazing. No other words can describe how the miraculous battle on the grassy is going. One is a godslayer and the other is a divine beast. It wouldn't be surprising if such a battle would be over in a minute, perhaps even in thirty seconds if the enemy king is really trying. Yet by now five minutes have passed, and the beast is still alive and kicking.

Sure, the beast is losing: Those golden horns he wore proudly have been broken, destroyed by this enemy's onslaught. The spikes on both of his claws are gone, as destroyed as those that used to stand on his back. The other combatant doesn't even have a scratch, so there's not really any form of turnabout here.

Yes, the battle is not going the thunderlord's way, but why does this beast last so long? Why is he not crushed into paste by this dreaded king?

Doni also looks with surprise at this enemy. For minutes now he's trying to cut off the tail of this monster, which for some reason does not work. Every single body part is destroyable, yet for some reason his sword cannot cut through the hide and scales on the end of this Raiju.

Another slash at the tail, and one more he hurts the beast without cutting off the tail. In fact, this monster is already limping from pain, a sign that it is on its last legs. At least twenty times Doni has performed slashes that should've cut this tail in two. So why?

Why can't he cut this tail?

Doni tries and tries, not realizing that his arm counts more as a club then a sword. It deals blunt damage, and not cutting damage. It is the latter that he needs to destroy the tail, so no matter how long he hits the monster there is nothing he can do about it.

It's probably the same reason why he inflicted crushing damage on Shizuka's side instead of cleaving right through. Eventually Doni realizes this, which lets him know that his preferred method of continuous slashing will not work.

Then there is only one solution left: Doni drops his sword, the weapon he was using for so long. As the Raiju performs another tail swing at Doni the Italian king counters by grabbing the tail of the monster, before throwing it on the ground with powerful force. The monster has been dizzied by the counter, but that is not where Doni stops his attack:

"One is the immortal steel, crushing al in his way!" Spell words to increase the power of his second authority, they also increase the weight of his body. The grassy fields sinks down under the weight of the sixth king, who now steps on the tail of this monster. The beast bellows out in pain, but that action isn't the final step of Doni plan either:

Doni grabs the tail and starts pulling on it. Harder and harder, trying to rip off the tail that he couldn't cut off.

The Raiju tries to escape, but that action only provides force that helps Doni with ripping off his tail. Summoning lightning? Even a direct hit on Doni does nothing. Where the godslayer humored the beast by dodging its attacks before now he simply shrugs it all off to get rid of this annoying pest.

There is nothing the beast of thunder can do to stop this, and helplessly he hears the muscles in his tail rip. One by one they split in two, until there is nothing connecting the tail with the main body.

Finally Doni has done it, the uncuttable part has been cut… sort of. Oh well, at least he has a nice souvenir left from this fight.

Raiju tail obtained

Now that he has fulfilled his vow to destroy that monster's tail Doni is ready to finish off this monster once and for all. Doni rearms himself with the sword he dropped before, and faces the monster once more. Within seconds he dealt enough blows to the monster to kill it, and with a final bellowing cry the Raiju falls to the ground.

That's one problem dealt with. Now all this is for Doni is to face the enemy Campione. Leaving the monster on the now grassy island he moves towards the shore, to continue battling.

-x-

The final preparations are set, and Shizuka takes a final flask of magical medicine to recover even the smallest and most resistant parts of her body.

With that potion Shizuka is back to full health, and not a moment too soon. Landing several meters in front of Shizuka lands her peer, looking no worse for the wear except for the arm he holds in his hands. In other words, that summoned beast did not manage to even scratch him.

"Well, that was fun!" Flippantly speaking about the hunt Doni turns to his closest aid and friend Andrea Riviera, who has been waiting on the beach along with an envoy of Italian and Japanese mages. "Hey Andrea, think you salvage that beast back there? If its body remains in this world I bet I can make a really awesome sword out of it!"

Ugh, everyone looks with equal annoyance at this king, though the only ones who do it without fear at Shizuka and Andrea. "Salvatore Doni," Andrea has moved away from the two kings to get out of their authorities' reach, forcing him to shout at his friend. "do you not even have the common sense not to steal that which belongs to others? I would like to compare you to Alexandre Gascoigne, but that would be an insult to the black prince!"

Absolutely true if you ask Shizuka: while those two are both troublemakers Doni is a magnitude worse than his English peer. Doni too realizes it, and for some reason actually listens to his friend:

"Eh, I guess you're right. Stealing stuff is not really my thing." No, his style is to constantly beg strangers to give him what he wants using his natural Italian charm, which Shizuka now gets to experience firsthand: "Hey Shizuka, mind if I take over the remains of that beast there? I believe I can make a really cool sword out of it."

While Shizuka would normally react with something like "No way!" or so, she does realize that there might be an opportunity in here. This might actually be a useful bargaining chip to get what Shizuka wants.

"Sure, I would be willing to give this as a token of friendship. So how about it, we call this battle a draw and you can have the remains." Friendship? As if, all Shizuka wants is this stupid battle to be over, then she can finally have some rest.

"Oh, but don't you remember you breaking my sword?" Doni tries to make his own bargain, applying to old facts that he believes he can exploit. "Isn't it natural to give me the materials for a new sword since you broke my old one?"

Doni has decided to become a professional haggler. However, two can play this game: "And I remember someone starting a duel when the opponent isn't interested. Isn't it natural to end a fight that the other doesn't want?"

"Hey now, that's a lie. All Campiones are warriors, some more obvious than others. Be honest with yourself, deep down you are enjoying this fight, right?"

Enjoyment? No, that is definitely the wrong word for it according to Shizuka. She sees battle as a natural occurrence, not something to enjoy.

There is one thing that she does not actively recall, the actually drive behind her actions: What she does deny is that she enjoys winning. That strike that cut off Doni's arm made her feel happiness; A smile appeared on her face when she tricked Karna; She was euphoric when she destroyed Guinevere's draconic form. That enjoyment, that drive to win, is what makes a godslayer so dangerous, and is what allows her to fight equal to the gods. She may not search for battle, but she sure as hell will try to win it!

But winning for Shizuka is not always crushing the opponent. Victory is not the decimation of the opposition, that is an exception rather than the rule. No, she wants her own goals to be fulfilled, whatever way possible. For this battle her goal is to end this duel in a positive way. If she can talk Doni out of fighting, then that counts as a victory for Shizuka. If dueling is inevitable, then all that is left is to kick Doni's ass!

Of course, from Shizuka's perspective this means that fighting does not equal enjoyment. "Salvatore Doni, you are an absolute idiot. I do not like fighting, and was never interested in this duel. I've had enough now, so let's stop here. Only then can you have that corpse over there."

"Hmm…" Doni is actually thinking about the offer, which means that there actually might be hope for Shizuka. Perhaps a peaceful solution might actually be reached with this idiot? That would be an absolute surprise! "You know, I don't like talking like this. My knowledge is mainly applied to the battlefield, and I usually have Andrea do all this boring stuff for me. I'm pretty sure that this deal is slanted against me."

"Why would you think so? I get what I want, and you get what you want. What else is there left?"

"Hmm… getting what I want you say?" Doni starts to grin sinisterly, as if he realizes what he needs to do. That grin gives Shizuka the creeps, as it slowly dawns that this might actually turn out badly. "Then I will do just that: I'll defeat you thoroughly and then claim that beast as my spoils of war!" Doni readies his weapon again and storms at the eighth king, who now realizes that negotiations have failed.

In that case, it's time to prepare for war again. "O fire, descends from the heavens!" Shizuka summons the stone of fire at almost its maximum size, being large enough to cover most of her body.

Blow after blow does Shizuka have to endure, using [Fire] as an impromptu kite shield. The combat of Salvatore Doni is flawless, there are no openings to make use of that grant her victory. Therefore she has to bide her time, waiting for an opening that Doni will never give. It's a stalemate, but not one that will last for long:

The stone of fire gets chipped with every blow, and cracks form on its surface. Doni might not be able to cut down this authority in a single strike but it is undeniable that he will eventually break through, thus preventing these stones from being the exception to the things that sword cannot cut.

Under this constant barrage of attacks Shizuka has no place to counterattack. Another hit and another hit, forcing Shizuka to take a step backwards. Three strikes later and Shizuka has to take another step back to deal with the power of Doni's blows, all while the stone of fire gets more and more fractures, becoming more fragile with every blow.

After many, many weapon strikes of the enemy the stone finally breaks as Doni makes a powerful single upward slash. The scattered parts of [Fire] fly upward as the force of the attack throw Shizuka away. However, this is not at all that bad for Shizuka at it might seem. While the fire stone is shattered she did gain something else in return: distance. Now that she has been launched far enough she has a powerful attack ready to hit Doni with:

"Shattered flames! Fragments of the glorious sun! Now, unite to banish evil from this planet!" The fragments of the fire stone shine brightly before turning in a massive pillar of flames, akin to the first time she used her authority in Niseko. the fire crashes down on Doni, trying to vaporize his body. An area of at least a dozen meters wide gets swallowed in the searing flames as the sand around Doni liquefies into molten glass.

It is one of the few types of attack that can actually bypass Doni's [Rippling arm of Silver]. Fire is not something that dies by being cut. If you cut a large fire in half you will have two smaller fires that are just as dangerous as the large one if you combine them. Therefore this attack hits Doni directly, causing him to take full damage from it. If Doni is the man of steel, then this fire will be his kryptonite! If it is up to Shizuka these flames will vaporize him!

"The immortal and invincible steel never dies!" But Doni looks no worse for the wear. It will be a bit annoying, but these divine flames are far from lethal. Godou was the first to use this type of attack with his [White Stallion], and all that did was giving Doni was a mild sunburn. "The broken blade shall be melted down in the furnace, forged once more to be reborn as the immortal sword. Kusanagi Shizuka, this level of flames cannot destroy me!" Hundreds of Nordic runes float around Doni's body, the many layers of defense to stop these flames from harming the Italian king. His weight and defenses maxed out Doni's sinks to his ankles in the sand as he braces himself to take this authority head-on.

Shizuka looks annoyed at her ridiculous enemy. Not dying when you get a massive pillar of flame thrown upon you, even for a Campione that is absurd. Why won't this king just die?!

"Hahaha, so what do you have left, Shizuka? [Fire], [Steel], [Wood] and [Water] have already been used. That leaves [Earth], right? Now stay still and watch me tank your flames before we enter the final showdown!"

Shizuka however suddenly shows a courageous smile, a smile of victory. "You're absolutely correct that I'm down to a single element, Salvatore Doni! However, you've said it yourself: We both have a victory and a loss, and this right here is the final showdown. So let me finish this battle right here and now!"

Is she…? Doni feels something inside him that he doesn't feel often. A sense of familiarity, of remembering something from the past and seeing it again. What was the name for that?

"Look at your feet, Doni! If you haven't noticed by now, you're standing at the exact same spot where I stood when we began this final round!"

Doni looks down, and sees one thing amongst the sand that is not vaporizing from the extreme heat:

Shizuka's stone of earth.

Damn, Doni did not see this one coming! She planned to combine the powers of earth and fire all along?

"You would've easily won this battle if you avoided that spot, but now you've given me a final shot at victory!"

And here comes Shizuka's final blow. What could it be, what can actually break through his impenetrable defenses? Doni doubt that it will work, and is more interested in the fact that he suddenly remembers the name of the feeling he couldn't describe: it's a déjà vu, since this is just like the time Godou sank him to the bottom of a lake.

…

Shit, it can't be!

"Oh come on, not this again!" Doni is pretty sure what Shizuka's final move is!

"The earth opens her mouth, and swallows all: men, cattle, houses, goods. Nothing escapes its wrath. Salvatore Doni, fall down to the underworld and perish!"

The sand under Doni's feet disappears as a gaping chasm of at least twenty meters wide forms. Doni falls into the hole, the combined forces of the flames and gravity ensuring that he will hit the bottom of this very, very, very deep hole on the beach.

He knows no magic like [Leap] to get him out of the hole. Even if he did know losing focus would severely hurt him in the process as it weakens his [Man of Steel]. With nothing else left Doni simply lets it be as the fire pushes him downwards as a massive oppressing force.

Ten seconds later and Shizuka is done. Using the last of [Earth] to close the hole she falls on the ground, exhausted. Even though the duel didn't even last fifteen minutes, six of which were spend in break time as her divine beast dueled it out, it felt so much longer. Finally, after all this it has now reached its conclusion.

"My sincerest congratulations on your victory, Kusanagi Shizuka." Very polite words from Andrea Riviera, who has returned from the sidelines to the battlefield. While that man should feel anger or fear that his lord has been bested in battle he simply smiles, glad that something bad happened to him. What a fantastic friend to have.

However, Shizuka does not agree with the statement he made. "Victory? I doubt that Doni got killed here."

Shizuka cannot really call it a victory in this state. She is sadly enough pretty sure that Doni does not die from something as simple as being buried a few hundred feet under, and if he gets out quick enough then he will have Shizuka at his mercy. The young king has literally no power left in her authorities, so another attack in the upcoming days might be fatal. Even if she did have her authorities in the next battle Doni will not fall for the same tricks again, which means that the rematch will probably be a guaranteed victory for the idiot.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with those words. Ill weeds grow apace, after all." No matter how you try trash like Doni will always exist in this world. Andrea doubts that even nuking that moron will damage him, let alone kill him. "So what do we call this match then if it's not your victory?"

Here's the chance to end this all. Shizuka makes up the rules of victory, a task fallen on her since the other king is not available for calls right now: "Let's determine victory as followed: If that idiot gets back to the surface within a day, he wins. If he takes longer than two days, it's mine. If it's somewhere in between, it's a draw. Understood?" At least from two days onwards she can combine stones to create powers on the level of authorities. Before that she probably can't even form a good strike again, so this list will do.

Andrea picks a cell phone from his pocket, and checks the time. "Okay, I will notify that trash when he gets above ground again. Until that moment, what will you do?"

Shizuka has only one thing on her mind, the only thing she really wants to do right now:

"I will go home and rest a bit." With those words Shizuka says goodbye, and her two followers join her as they leave the other mages back on the beach.

-x-

The trio of women walk down the streets of Kujukiri, on their way to the train station where they can catch the next ride back to Tokyo. There was a slight problem with the reverse jeweled halberd, as Shizuka couldn't get it back to its inactivated pencil size again. To solve that problem they got one of those larger painting pipes to store the spear in, which Sakura is now carrying on her back.

"Shizuka-chan, what will you do now?" Sakura asks, a smile on her face, though her eyes look a bit down. "Going straight home?"

"Yeah, I don't want to keep gramps and onii-chan waiting. However, there is one thing I need to do before that." Shizuka guides the other two down a small abandoned street, claiming that it is the faster route to their destination.

Halfway through the street Shizuka fills in the rest of the sentence she was speaking about: "The other thing is finding out what happened to Fuyuhime." Shizuka turns to her friend, an accusing gaze in her eyes. "Your magic energy is completely different from normal ever since you spoke those spell words on that fake island, and you haven't spoken a word since then. Who are you, and what did you do to Fuyuhime?"

Upon hearing this accusation Fuyuhime cracks a smile, before speaking in a deep male voice:

"Hoho, this knight never expected it to be necessary to obscure one's own presence with such cheap tactics, though one had hoped to stay incognito for a while longer."

Yes, that voice is most certainly not Fuyuhime. This is proof that something has taken over control of Fuyuhime's body, just like Karna did with Guinevere.

Wait, does this mean that this will cause Fuyuhime to die from this? Damn it! She doesn't even have any stones left to exorcise the spirit form her friend's body, and if this is just like with Karna she also does not have anything to fight with! If this ends in a battle then Shizuka will be in big trouble!

"So, what are you planning to do with my friend, whatever you are?" Shizuka flares off anger, just like a cornered animal tries to make itself larger to scare off its attacker.

"And leave Fuyuhime's body unharmed, you evil person!" Much to the king's surprise she sees Sakura actually holding the reverse jeweled halberd in her hands, pointing the tip at Fuyuhime. This is new, Shizuka thought that her niece was way too nice to ever perform such actions. Sure, the spear is held shakily and it probably won't be effective at dealing with this problem, but this is a resolve Shizuka thought she would never see!

"Do not be concerned, godslayer." The one residing in Fuyuhime's body is trying to communicate peacefully, as if he is trying to calm down a tiger from attacking. "This knight is merely planning to use this witch as a mouthpiece, a device to open communications with. No harm shall be done to this mortal, hereby one swears this oath."

Shizuka will have to believe this, if only because she lacks any form of attack at the moment. "Okay, I'll believe you for now. So who are you, and why did you possess my friend?"

"This knight is known as Lancelot, the protector of witches." Hang on, that Lancelot? There's immediately one problem with that statement that needs to be addressed:

"Are you that Lancelot? The protector of the late Guievere? Didn't you die in battle two weeks ago?" Even a god cannot enter the living world that easily again after dying. Why and how is he here, speaking on the mortal plane?

"True, true, one is that god. Unbeknownst to all one barely managed to survive that battle. One lost severely that day, but by turning into mist this knight managed to hang on for long enough to flee to the netherworld. There one managed to befriend this land's storm god, and now the two of us watch over this island nation and the kings within."

Storm god? There are multiple potential deities who fit this theme: Susanoo, Narukami-sama, Raijin and Fuujin, there are a few in this country that fulfill that role. But that aside, the storm god is not that important here. That deity is no problem as long as he doesn't descend down here again. The question is what Lancelot is doing here.

"So what are you doing here? Not just content with watching?"

"One would not mettle in the business of humans, but one has sworn an oath to help out all witches that have reaches the highest level of their ability. Normally this is a mere trifle to help with rituals, but such a thing changes if the witch is capable of theophany _{5}_. When watching over this island one found a witch capable of this ability, along with a tremendous level of potential for a witch. This knight would normally grant some of one's power to the witch as a reward."

If that is all then this is pretty decent news. Fuyuhime found a way to actually help in battle by relying on the power of Lancelot. However, if that was true then Lancelot would simply make contact with just Fuyuhime, leaving Shizuka and Sakura out of it.

"However, when I granted this witch some of my power I figured out that she is the possession of a certain godslayer." Of course there has to be a problem! This time it is Shizuka's status that might be detrimental to Fuyuhime. "One would normally not grant help to a Campione that easily, so one needs to understand you first." Fuyuhime, or Lancelot if you can call him that right now, looks over Shizuka, scanning who she is. Eventually he comes to a conclusion of his own:

"You look young for a human, most likely you have not been king for long. One might be foolish, lacking the wisdom of sages or the intelligence of mages, but this knight clearly understands that of the current kings you are the youngest. That would make you the eighth king, the one who slew beloved child Guinevere."

Ow, this might not be good. Shizuka did indeed kill his companion, so Lancelot might hold a grudge against her.

"Yes, I was the one who killed Guinevere." Stand proud and admit the truth. There's no use hiding it now, so just speak honestly. "So, will this lead to hostile relationships between us?"

"Not at all, monarch!" Instead of being angry he sounds jolly, as if he did not care at all that Guinevere was slain by Shizuka. "If you are the king who slew Guinevere then that also makes you the rival of Gawain. Hoho, one is certainly willing to give a bit of help so you can win that duel."

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, huh? Shizuka can accept that logic, mainly because Lancelot motto only grants her advantages. On that note, perhaps she can push it even further?

"So, that means that you are going to grant your help to Fuyuhime?" Lancelot guesses that the king is talking about the witch he possesses, and nods in response. "In that case, would you be willing to grant your power to another witch?"

"Hoho, so you claim to possess another witch with such rare talent, king?"

No, not exactly. "Not yet, at least. However, in a week I will have another one." Shizuka turns to Sakura, who is startled by the sudden response.

"Eh? Y-You mean me, Shizuka-chan?" Almost as if she doesn't know how to respond to that, she fidgets around all over the place. "I mean, I never really wished for that…"

"Sakura-chan, I know you longer then today. I can read you easily enough to know that you've been depressed ever since Fuyuhime became a witch. You may have tried to hide it, but it's easy to see that you don't like it that you can barely do anything for me or Fuyuhime. Now that I saw your resolve to defend your friend against all odds my mind is made up. Next week I will use the same procedure on you as I used on Fuyuhime."

"B-But…!"

"I won't hear any objections Sakura-chan. I'm doing what is best for you, even if you try to hide it."

Interrupting the two girls is Lancelot, who is laughing at what is happening. "Ho, one understands. King, you have an authority that can turn ordinary people into witches under your command." Suddenly he turns serious, as he addresses the problem of this power. "This could create hundreds, even thousands of witches, and this knight will not help each and every one of them. One proposes as such: King, you will not create more of these witches other than these two girls here, and one will compensate by granting power and help to these two witches."

"Deal." Shizuka didn't plan to turn anyone else into a witch, and now she both has the help of a god and a valid excuse not to create more. What else could she want?

Even Sakura and Lancelot look surprised at the quick acceptance, both wondering if Lancelot sees something over the head.

Oh well, it's no use thinking about it for Lancelot. He's not that smart, so this is enough to make him happy. "One shall take his leave now. This knight has to accept a friendly bout with the storm god, to keep us both from getting rusty. Survive, devil king, and live long enough to obtain victory against our rival!"

With those words Lancelot leaves, and the magical energy in Fuyuhime's body turns back to normal. Looking around her she asks Shizuka what exactly happened.

"Nothing much, we've managed to become allies with heretic Lancelot."

"Hang on, what?"

"I'll explain later. Right now we have a train to catch."

-x-

 _First of December, early evening._

After a long train ride Shizuka is finally home, ready to rest from a long and tiring day. It's already evening, and Shizuka is glad she can drop down on the bench. Neither of the two males are home yet, though they can come in at any minute now.

As much as Shizuka hates to do it right now, there's probably some task on the chore schedule that she is obliged to do today. Lifting her aching body from the oh so comfortable bench she walks over to the kitchen, where she finds that there is one thing she has to do: It is her turn to prepare the food.

Ugh, fantastic. Shizuka really just want to go to bed and sleep, or at least take a little nap. Now she has to go shopping for food again. Looking inside of the fridge she sees that there is only one ingredient missing to cook one of her own preferred simple dishes, teriyaki salmon. It's quick, simple, and the only thing she still needs to buy are some nice slabs of fish from the fishmonger down the street. That's only a hundred meter down the street, making the trip nice and easy.

Dragging her body to the door she takes the wallet and a small shopping bag before leaving home. Closing the door behind her she walks down the street in a fatigued tempo.

Eventually she reaches the fish store, a simple family business as evidenced by the name: Osaragi Fish Store. Inside she is greeted by the wife of the owner, Osaragi Saki. Due to certain… relationships between gramps and miss Osaragi the entire Kusanagi family is on friendly terms with this shop, which often grants Shizuka nice little bonuses whenever she shops here for fish. She has to admit that this is one of the few things gramps' problem of charming women that is actually positive and useful.

The greeting starts off with a few pleasantries, like Saki asking why Shizuka looks so tired, or Shizuka asking how the kids are doing. Eventually the two get to the point, which is the meal Shizuka is cooking tonight:

"I'm planning to make some teriyaki salmon tonight. Do you have a few good slabs of salmon that I can use?"

"Ah, teriyaki salmon, huh? Yeah, I still have some pretty good pieces left. Three pieces, I guess, or is someone else eating over at your house?"

"No, there's just me, onii-chan and gramps."

"Hmm, if that's the case, how about I add in a small recommendation of my own?" Next to the three slabs of salmon the fishmonger adds a bottle of white wine in the plastic bag. "It tastes amazing with anadromus fish types."

"And how do we solve the payment?" Shizuka does not want to spend more than needed on dinner, especially since the wine bottle will probably be from her own pocket money.

"Don't worry, this is to repay a favor Ichirou-kun did. It's free."

Shizuka accepts the wine, and pays for the fish. Saying goodbye to Osaragi Saki the shopper returns home.

Back at home she puts the bag on the ground and pulls the house key out of her pocket… if there was a house key in her pocket. Shizuka might've forgotten to take that item with her to the fish shop. Sure, fatigue can be blamed for this situation, but in the end that doesn't allow Shizuka entrance to her home.

Ringing the bell of her house she quickly realizes that no one is home. Now what?

Five minutes later there's finally someone who can help: "Ah, Shizuka, why are you waiting outside?" There is her big brother Godou, who looks like he just came back from school. A bit late, if you ask Shizuka.

"I forgot my keys when I went shopping." Godou looks intrigued at Shizuka, seeing something that hasn't happened often before. Normally she stands above such petty mistake.

"Ah, I see." However, Shizuka probably knows too that this doesn't happen often to her. Instead Godou decides to ask something else: "By the way, what have you done these past two days? I heard you has some sort of project at Sakura's university."

"A small study in communications with the mentally impaired." Yeah, that sums her experiences with Salvatore Doni up nicely. "In the end, while interesting, it was nothing more than some propaganda to get people to spend their university years in that location."

"I know what you mean…" Godou had that happen often enough when he was still playing baseball. Back is middle school he would get offers from big league high schools and universities, though they thankfully stopped after his injury. "But the most important thing is that you had fun, right?"

"Yes indeed, though my fun with this project probably cannot come close to the fun you had at school with those girls of yours, onii-chan."

"Shizuka, stop insinuating things like that!" Once more Godou almost flies into a rage, disliking the way his little sister talks about his friends who are definitely nothing more than friends… at the moment.

Shizuka ignores the outcry and simply asks Godou to open the door already, forgetting about the subject. She is way too tired to bother with this for too long.

With a sigh her older brother complies to that command and opens the door. Shizuka immediately heads to the kitchen, where she starts preparing the meal. She puts rice in the rice cooker and starts preparing the home-made teriyaki, before starting to cook the salmon. Now all that needs to be done is to wait for the final family member.

"I'm home!" Speak of the devil, with that the last member of the household has arrived. Kusanagi Ichirou has entered the house, where he gets greetings from both of the siblings.

Well, that's that then. Shizuka will finish preparing the food, and then spend a few days relaxing until it is her birthday. No gods, no godslayers, nothing to interrupt this short time of peace until the third. Yes, finally some time to get some good sleep. There's nothing left to worry about.

"Shizuka, I believe we need to talk." Huh? Why would Ichirou suddenly speak so seriously? Gramps asks Godou to take over the cooking for a bit, as Shizuka gets ordered to follow her grandfather to the family computer. "Look at the screen, Shizuka."

It's the grade list of her school, which includes her latest grade for English.

"Ah crap."

Four out of ten. Guess there is something to worry about after all.

-x-

{1} Chishuuha: The name of Fuyuhime's blade. I guess I never got to introducing its exact properties, and I certainly will not be doing now. However, I guess that the meaning of the name (thousand cycles), the spell of summoning, and also the things I did show should be enough hints to make a rough estimation.

{2} Yes yes, the Raiju I'm using is based on monster hunter's Zinogre. In retrospect the Zingore is based on the original Raiju, so it is only fitting to use it in this situation. Now excuse me as I go back to Monster Hunter Generations. Or X, if you are Japanese.

{3} Raijin: Japanese deity of thunder, lightning, storms and Zinogres. Also known under the names Narukami, Raiden-sama, Kaminari-sama and Yakusa no Ikazuchi no kami. Has a tendency to steal belly buttons during thunderstorms. Don't ask me how that works.

{4} Lake Garda: The largest lake of Italy, with an average depth of 136 meters and a maximum depth of 346 meters. Lies in-between the provinces of Verona, Brescia and Trentino.

{5} Theophany: meaning "A visual manifestation of a deity to humankind", in the world of Campione it is the ability of a witch to summon a fraction of a gods power into their body. Comparable to the hime-miko's divine possession which Ena is capable of, it is even rarer among witches than the hime-miko.

-x-

And with this chapter I have finally created the longest non-crossover Campione story on this website! Trust me when I say that it was a lot more work than it looks like. Especially this chapter, since it falls together with summer vacation and a lot of other stuff that happened.

Either way, thanks for your continuous support. I will try my best to continue working on this story.

Now on the topic that might seem weird to many of you after last chapter's talk: Why is Lancelot still alive? I mean, after confirming that Athena and Guinevere are deader than dead, why would the white knight survive?

There are multiple reasons for this, but let's start with a counter-question of my own first: Didn't you see the little hints I gave that Lancelot is still alive? First of all, let's look at chapter 5:

Heretic goddess Blanchefleur is now in possession of Rama's [Arrowhead Album], which showed a total of three arrowheads. One arrowhead is for Perseus; One arrowhead is for Sun Wukong; That leaves one arrowhead. Because the incident in France took place a few hours after the battle in Tokyo all slain gods should've been displayed in the album, meaning that there should be an arrowhead for Lancelot and an Arrowhead for Gawain. However, there are only three arrowheads.

In other words, either Gawain or Lancelot survived, and since Gawain quite obviously died this means that it is Lancelot who is still alive.

Another hint is that in chapter 7 where I talked about those who are certainly dead I didn't speak a word about this steel deity. That was not an oversight, that was on purpose.

So, now that I have dampened the initial shock, let's talk about why I kept Lancelot in the story.

Reason 1, and also the most important reason: To make support for future battles including Shizuka more plausible. As you can see thus far most battles include only minimal human support. I would like to up that a bit, but I don't want to limit it to "emergency healing team". Luckily for me there's a mention in volume eight that there is this very rare witch ability called theophany which is basically divine possession for witches. It's also mentioned that Lancelot promised all high-level witches with this skill that they can use a fragment of the war god's power in combat. Combine this with Lancelot's general hate for Gawain and I found a good way to make Fuyuhime, and in the future Sakura, more supportive in combat.

Reason 2: So, I have this idea for an arc that has something to do with Lancelot and Susanoo, and since this happens mid-story I cannot have Lancelot locked away in the [Arrowhead Album]. Another reason why she survives.

Finally the last reason: Unlike Athena and Guinevere Lancelot does not have a stupidly annoying archaic speech. Seriously, that is ridiculously asinine to write! Why do you think that Nu Wa and Gawain both speak modern English? Lancelot is luckily very simple: Replace "me" with "this one" or "this knight" and replace "I" with "one", and voila, you have Lancelot's English! It's simple to write, so I allow our white knightto live for now.

So hurray, Lancelot is alive. Be happy, Lancelot fans, for he... she... it will stick around in It sits in the family!


	9. Time for a Celebration

_Second of November, Tuesday, late afternoon:_

After a rather normal schoolday Shizuka spends the rest of her afternoon in the same place she could be found even before becoming one of the world's demon lords: The tea ceremony club. They gather every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Since today is a Tuesday the weekly "three days of tea", as it has been nicknamed by one of the younger members of their club, has started again.

Shizuka has entered a very Japanese-looking building, the one where most cultural clubs are resided: the tea ceremony club, the flower arrangement club, the Japanese dance research club and a few other typically Japanese cultural things, causing the building to get the nickname "the Japanese block" among the students. These clubs are quite supportive of each other, which can be most evidently seen in the tea ceremony's clubroom.

The tea ceremony club has a simple 4.5 tatami room with a proper mizuya and tokonoma _{1}_. Inside of the tokonoma many artistic items from other clubs can be found: a hanging scroll from the calligraphy club, a flower arrangement from the flower arrangement club, a bonsai tree from the bonsai research club and an incense burner from the incense research club. Inside she sees that almost everyone has gathered already. Five people are already inside, and only one more needs to come.

Sitting at the host's mat is the oldest member of the club and also the club president, Hanabusa Akari. A second year of high school senior with gracious speaking mannerisms and benevolent facial expressions, she is a person who always leaves a good impression on those who meet her for the first time. The only one who can rival her in this club, perhaps even surpass her, is Mariya Yuri. Her mature, ladylike manners, combined with her graceful appearance, are what make her one of the school's three beauties.

Mariya's behavior around Kusanagi Godou does deserves some minus points, so Hanabusa still wins this battle of polite manners.

However, when it comes to actual ceremony performance it is Hanso Rikyu, the only male of the club and in the third year of middle school, who manages to take the crown. The great-grandson of Sen Soshitsu XV _{2}_ , it's not really surprising that an official pupil in this art beats the rest who are technically still amateurs.

The others already here are the two youngest members, the Higashi twins named Miwako and Aya. Though they are fraternal twins who don't look alike at all they share their love for this cultural activity.

As Shizuka is just about to settle down she hears the door slide open violently. The last member of the club, Hayata Yuko, has entered, panting from what is probably running between this club room and the classrooms of the third years in middle school.

"Sorry I'm late, I had cleaning duty." Spoken in-between breaths, she confirms Shizuka's thoughts. Club president Hanabusa simply greets her warmly and invites her to enter, allowing the club to finally start.

The schedule for today is quite simply. Of the ninety minutes they have the first hour will be spend on practicing specific parts of the tea ceremony, from how to prepare tea to even very simple things like correctly opening the sliding door. After a short break the group will perform an actual tea ceremony, though it is still only an obon temae _{3}_. Since there are only seven members in the club they can perform the tea ceremony without needing to exclude anyone.

Chosen as the host is one of the more experienced members, none other than Mariya Yuri herself. Shizuka has been chosen to take the role of the third guest, which is one of the easier roles to perform.

Everyone but the host leaves the room before the ceremony can start. Mariya, as the host of this tea ceremony, is required to prepare a few things, including the boiling of water and normal, non-ceremonious cleaning of the utensils.

When everyone is prepared the first guest, whose role is played by the only male in the club, opens the door from a seating position, allowing every guest entrance to the tea room. Everyone shuffles over the tatami mats and takes their place.

"Please, have these sweets." Mariya offers the traditional sweets to the first guest, who nods back silently. Hanso takes one before offering the dish with the sweets to the second guest. She also takes one of the small treats before handing it over to Shizuka. The young king too takes one sweet and passes it to the fourth guest, and so on.

When everyone has had a sweet the dish returns to Mariya, who performs the next step. She takes the tea utensils out of the mizuya and places them in front of her. When everything stands prepared Mariya bows to the guests, and they bow silently in return. Now Mariya begins with ceremoniously cleaning the utensils.

First to be cleaned is tea caddy, followed by the tea scoop. The washing is done rigorously and exactly according to the rules of this ceremony, without any flexibility yet not losing the flow. After lifting the lid from the hot-water kettle she continues with the cleaning of the whisk.

Mariya scoops some of the powdered tea in the tea bowl, just before removing the lid of the cold-water container. With experienced movements she pours hot water into the tea bowl, before whisking the powder and water together with experienced movements.

In these tasks Mariya still shows no deviation from the standard rules, yet there are no mistakes noticeable. As a result Shizuka might have the feeling that these actions of Mariya are almost a déjà vu, but at least she can expect a good performance from her senpai. Perhaps that rigid adherence to the basics can be called Mariya's strong point

Now the tea is ready to be served. The first guest gets the first drink, and takes a sip from it.

"How is the tea?" Mariya asks, as according to custom.

"It is excellent." While Hanso has tasted better tea from some at the official school he can't say that the taste is anything other than that it is excellent. That is the only thing a polite guest can say.

When the bowl is empty it is given back to Mariya. She cleans the bowl before whisking new tea to place between the first and the second guest. This allows for a small amount of talk between the first and second guest:

"Pardon me for going ahead of you." The first guest says for being first in line.

"Would you like to drink one more?" In return the second guest offers the first if he wants some more. Naturally that is declined, allowing the second guest to drink.

After the first sip of the second guest Hanso comments that "The tea was very delicious. What is the name of the tea?" As the first guest he is the only one allowed to speak to the host.

Mariya answers this question with polite words, just like the questions that come after that one: "Where is the tea from?" "The sweet we had previously was also excellent. What is it called?" "How about today's flowers, what kind are they?" "How about the flower vase? And the name of the vase, what is it?" Each one gets answered in a way that would give maximum scores if this were graded, and Mariya can make these answers without breaking her concentrationon the whisking of the tea.

Next it is Shizuka's turn to be served tea, and after the customary words between her and the second guest she takes a sip from the tea.

For green tea it's quite good. Shizuka is pleasantly surprised with the quality, as there has been a bit of improvement compared to the last time Mariya served this. Well, either that or a Campione also has superhuman taste buds.

…yeah, the latter is quite unlikely. She hasn't tasted food any differently compared to before, and it probably isn't an ability that only settles in after a month of kingship.

She continues drinking the tea, and in the end returns the bowl to Mariya.

There are no more words spoken until everyone has had tea, after which Hanso announces the end of the tea ceremony: "We have had enough. Would you please finish?"

"I will finish." Mariya bows before her guests and starts with the cleaning, almost in reverse order: First the whisk is cleaned, followed by the tea scoop. Then Mariya fills the hot-water reservoir back to full with water from the cold-water reservoir. Closing the lid on the hot-water kettle she begins with bringing all utensils back to the mizuya in their respective order, and when everything is done she gives a final bow to the guests, who leave the room in order of their number as guest.

After everyone but the host left the room they all walk back in, now much more informal than before. Club president Hanabusa congrats everyone on their performance, especially Mariya for her stellar performance as a host.

However, what shocks Shizuka more is what is said afterwards: "Kusanagi-san. You have been a member of this club for 27 months. We believe that you have trained sufficiently enough to lead a ceremony of your own. We would like to grant you the role of host at tomorrow's tea ceremony."

Wow. Shizuka almost doesn't know what to say. Usually the people from the first and second grade in middle school are not allowed to perform the role of host. To be given this role. "I'm honored to serve as the host for tomorrow's tea ceremony, Hanabusa-buchou."

"Consider it a birthday gift you deserve." Ah, so that's why she is granted such a role. Hanabusa gives a polite smile, as she realizes she has said everything she wanted to say. "Then hereby the tea ceremony club is dismissed for today!"

Now that club activities have ended Shizuka walks up to Aya, the one who is on cleaning duty today. "Aya-san, would you mind to swap cleaning duties?" The twins are the only people who have their personal names used in the club, mainly because they don't want to be known as "Higashi I" and "Higashi II". For the rest of the members they used the family name as usual.

"Kusanagi-senpai, may I ask with when you want to switch?"

"I just noticed that it's my turn tomorrow, and I would rather not do such a thing on my birthday."

Aya understands this perfectly, as she also would rather not do anything like cleaning when she has her birthday. "That's fine by me, senpai."

Shizuka thanks her for this opportunity, so Aya hands over everything important: She pulls a key out of her pocket, one that Shizuka recognizes as the key to this club room, and hands it over. "Don't forget to hang this back in the teacher's lounge. Cleaning equipment is still in the storage room, so you need to get those too. I believe that is everything, Shizuka-senpai. Until tomorrow."

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow Aya-san."

-x-

After everyone has left the building Shizuka begins cleaning. True, Shizuka does prefer if she doesn't have to do some menial tasks like that on her birthday, but that's not the real reason why she stayed behind to do this. With the keys of this room in hand she has something that she can really make use of: A place to perform magic in.

There is, after all, a certain item that she would rather not show to her family. What would they say if she was to be storing a naginata in her home, let alone the most famous one in Japanese myth?

Yeah, that would bring all sorts of troubles with it. The only solution left is to use hypnotization, and considering that her energy control is… shoddy, to say the least, and her last attempt caused general amnesia she would rather not use that type of magic on her own family.

Before the fight with Doni the spear was still in its inactive state, and could've easily been kept as something like a keychain without anyone asking questions. With its current length of over two meters it's a little bit too big to fulfill that function, and also a lot more difficult to keep hidden from the family.

There are two possible solutions to this problem: One is a complex ritual requiring multiple talented mages to turn the spear back to its tiny size, which has to be reapplied every time Shizuka uses that thing. The other option is the ritual of summoning, the one Fuyuhime explained two days ago. Shizuka can do that one without outside help and it only needs to be performed once before a simple spell allows Shizuka to summon and unsummon the spear at will.

As there is no reason to make a simple procedure complicated she obviously chooses the latter. From her school bag she takes out the only non-school related item in it, a certain book about magic.

Titled "Influence of western magic during Japan's age of isolation", it teaches about foreign spells that have become integrated in Japanese culture. These spells are perhaps some of the most effective spells of European origin, all thanks to a combination of simplicity and reliability yet still achieving the desired effect.

Of course, even amongst the spells in this book there are quite a lot that are absolutely redundant for a Campione. There are exactly three spells that Shizuka cannot replicate with her authority, of which this summoning and unsummoning are two.

First the unsummoning. Shizuka opens the book on the correct page, muttering the steps to be taken out loud.

"First comes the drawing of a magic circle, huh." It's something that you should actually ask the occult club to do for you, but considering the mental state of its members Shizuka would give a wide berth to those wierdos.

Shizuka removes a few of the tatami mats, leaving the stone underneath bare. That's a better underground for drawings, and she also won't risk accidentally destroying the floor of the room.

Now the circle itself is rather simple if you have the right materials. In Shizuka's case, she has chalk, some thin rope, a large pin and a the shaft of the spear to function as a ruler. The outer circle is easy: Just secure the large pin somewhere in the middle and connect the rope to both the large pin and the chalk. With that you have the most ancient way to draw a perfect circle. Inside of that circle must be drawn a square, and inside that square another circle.

The final step is to draw a triangle in the most inner circle, with tiny double circles on each of the three corners. With that the general geography is finished, so now the words need to be written:

First the mandatory words: On the four sides of the square come the names of the deity who gifted this spell to humanity: Hermes on the highest rib, and then clockwise his epithets Oneiropompus, Hodios and Psychopompus. On the three edges of the triangle come the three items associated with Hermes: petasos, the winged cap of Hermes; talaria, his winged shoes; Finally kerykeion, the staff of heralds wielded by this deity.

These seven words, all written in Greek, are the only symbols that absolutely need to be on this circle. A more variable part that she also needs to write down is the chant with which the naginata can be summoned. That can be anything Shizuka wants, but it has to be written in fourfold on all sides of the outer circle.

In the end it turns out to be quite the annoying challenge for Shizuka, if only because this work is quite precise. Did Fuyuhime have to do the same thing for her weapon? Shizuka really starts to dislike all these tedious steps of the secret world of magic.

But as much as she dislikes this menial labor eventually she is done. Fifteen minutes after she started drawing she's finally finished the circle. That was the hard part, as the rest of the steps are rather easy.

For the next step she places the item she wants to use for the summoning, Ame no Nuhoko, in the middle of the circle. The only other thing she needs to make sure is in the circle is something which binds her as the only one who can summon this item. The general solution for that is quite simple, what does everyone have that is completely unique for them and them alone?

Right, a certain string consisting out of a sugar, a phosphate group and a large collection of the four nucleotides cytosine, guanine, adenine and thymine. In layman's terms, this is known as DNA.

The chance of two people having the exact same DNA, and thus also being able to summon this weapon, is one in a hundred billion, assuming you don't have a monozygotic twin. Since Shizuka doesn't have a twin she is pretty sure this will work.

The safest bet according to modern science is also the one used in the past of this spell: pour a bit of your own blood on it. Those people from the middle-ages probably didn't understand why something like blood would work, perhaps Karna was right and the god they worshipped must've explained the details in monkey talk, because those knights were probably not specialists in genetics:

" _The loci of a human's genetic data is per human different, as alleles can differ or the info can be written di- or polypoid." Hermes, Greek god of quite a lot, gives his worshippers a lecture on human biology so they can use this new spell he thought up. "Because these biological traits change the DNA in our leukocytes this allow us to differentiate betwe-you all have no idea what I am talking about, do you?"_

 _The humans all look questionably at the deity they worship. Great, they're all idiots._

" _Blood special, blood magical. Use blood, item yours." The god explains with an annoyed scowl on his face, as if he has given up on humanity. The people worshipping him now all make "Ah" or "Oh" sounds, as if they finally understand. Hermes on the other hand wonders why they didn't make dinosaurs the dominant species of this world. They would probably understand this all better than these dumb humans._

Pff, imagining the scenario in her head makes it seem even more ridiculous to Shizuka. Quickly remembering what she has to do she makes a small cut in her left palm with a pencil, causing a few droplets of blood to fall on the blade and the circle.

Good, now it's time for the final chanting, the divine words that will finish the spell: Holding the book with instructions in her right she starts to infuse magical power in the circle, causing it to shimmer lightly.

"Hermes, god of all movement between worlds, grant this one permission to access your powers once more. One asks you for the ultimate protection. Please grant this boon upon oneself!"

At the moment the most mana streams out of Shizuka and into the circle (which is from Shizuka's perspective still very little) it grows bright enough that Shizuka starts to have a bit of trouble looking straight ahead. Squinting her eyes she sees that the legendary spear starts to distort, becoming all wavy. Then it starts to turn transparent, until after two seconds it disappears completely.

The exact moment the spear disappears is when the circle stops glowing. The circle has turned back into a simple drawing of chalk, and no more magic energy can be infused into it. With this the ritual should be over.

Only one way to test that theory out. The spear has been successfully transported to the netherworld, can it be summoned back just as easily?

"Heavenly jeweled halberd of creation, Appear once more in my hands!" A rather simple spell, but it's easy to remember and relatively short. Those latter two are the most important part of this summoning, as Shizuka doubts she can waste halve a minute on chanting in battle.

During the spell the magic circle Shizuka drew flashes in front of her. In the middle of the circle the handle comes out, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The spear does not move any further, so Shizuka does the obvious and simply pulls the weapon out of the circle. As the full two meters of the weapon is pulled out the circle disappears, leaving Shizuka with the weapon once more.

In other words, the spell is a success. Satisfied with the result Shizuka lets the spear disappear with a single word, and after a small white flash the weapon is gone again.

With this her goal for today is finished. Now the real cleaning can begin. As Shizuka does what she actually promised she begins to wonder how her brother is doing back at home.

Ugh, he's probably fooling around with the girls. Really, if Shizuka did not have cleaning she would be scolding her brother right now.

Forgetting about her brother she now simply works hard to clean this mess, hoping to get home quickly to catch her brother in the deed of his crimes.

-x-

 _Meanwhile, a few hours earlier on the day:_

Ah… this is absolute bliss. All alone in the house, with a television remote in the left hand and a cup of tea in the right. Shizuka is still busy with her tea ceremony club while gramps is out shopping for dinner. Homework is done, there are no girls around Godou, no supernatural events happening, and with nothing in the way this give him some intensely needed me-time.

It's rather apart that there is literally no one who needs anything of him. Usually at least Erica, Mariya or Liliana would here. Mariya can be easily explained: she has to go to the tea club ceremony club together with Shizuka. Erica and Liliana on the other hand claimed that they have something very important to do, something they absolutely cannot miss. What can be so important that they absolutely cannot miss it?

 _Somewhere else:_

In another part of Tokyo, the flat where Erica bought a floor as her residence, the red and blue knight of the seventh king sit side by side, ready for the greatest fight of the year. They've geared up and prepared themselves for the upcoming combat.

"Hey Lily, you do know that the last time this duel ended in my favor?" Erica has dressed in the colors of red and black, staring intently at her opponent. This is the match they only get two times a year, and only very rarely is there a third possibility.

"Pah, that trash? You got an lucky advantage at the start, and then cowardly defended until the end. Fitting that that is the only match you could win in the last two years." Liliana on the other hand is dressed in the colors black and blue, and has even painted those colors on her face. She is looking straight forward, not wasting any time on Erica's face.

"Oh, but am I not still in the lead? I have a total of twelve victories, while you have a total of eight."

"And there were five draws, I know." Lily interjects with irritation, being perfectly aware that Erica has a small advantage. "You have an advantage of four wins… but tomorrow you will find that number decreased to three."

"If you say so, Lily." Erica replies with a playful smirk. "Or perhaps you will find a difference of five. Who knows?"

"Tsk. Just be silent now, it's starting." Lily points to the large television, which has been set on an Italian program, and the two ladies stare intensely at the screen as some starts introductions:

" _For the first match of the Coppa Italia's round of sixteen we have the legendary Derby della Madonnina {4}! AC Milan against Internazionale, live from the San Siro! What do you think about this match, Gianni?"_

" _Well Tancredi, this will be a close match, and for once home advantage will not settle it…"_

The commentators continue on talking, as the two young women are completely absorbed by them. Who will win? Erica's club A.C. Milan, or Liliana's Internazionale? The two women will find out in the next two hours!

From a distance the two maids look at their masters, seriously wondering what anyone sees in football.

 _Back to Godou:_

Now that he has some well-deserved me-time, what can he do? Perhaps go for a light jog? He's been forced to do those late at night ever since he has to wake up long sleeper Erica. Maybe simply watch some television, or perhaps go read a good book? There are quite a few options to choose from…

*Ding dong*

But that train of thought stops as he hears the doorbell ringing. Who could it be right now? Is Shizuka already back or is this gramps finishing his shopping duties?

Godou walks to the door in a calm tempo, not hurrying at all as there seems to be no reason to do so. Godou opens the door to see who is the-oh hell no!

"Yo, Godou! How is my dear friend doing?" Damn it all! That blond-haired Italian idiot, why the fuck is he here? In a single fluid motion Godou throws the door in his peer's face, ignoring that that man ever stood there. In fact, he's also ignoring that idiot's very existence. There are no Italian kings here in Japan, and they are certainly not standing in front of Godou's house. Indeed, no Italian kings here.

As Godou takes three steps away from the door he wonders if that decision is wise. After all, the ignored person is Salvatore Doni. Salvatore Doni is, without doubt, an absolute moron. What will the idiot do now that Godou ignores him? Godou, knowing his luck, easily expects something akin to Doni using his [Rippling Arm of Silver] to obliterate the door.

An ominous sound from behind proves too much for Godou to calmly ignore, and turns around to see Doni standing in his hallway. Surprisingly enough the door is still completely intact, which is at least one thing Godou can be thankful for.

However, that small stroke of luck does not dismiss the major problem here: "Doni, how… and more importantly, why are you here?" Godou speaks in curd and disrespectful tones, not that Doni seems to mind. With an angelic Mediterranean smile he speaks back in flowing words:

"Ah, is it so unnatural for someone to visit his friend? It has been a few months since we last saw each other, so a bit of a celebration should be okay, right?"

"Setting aside that questionable friendship, why did you have to visit right now?"

"Eh, I had a bit of other business in Japan. Since I was already in the country, why not visit my dear friend and rival?"

Tsk. There's no rectifying this idiot. "Ugh… setting aside the why, how exactly did you arrive here?"

"The car, of course." Doni points to outside, where a bright yellow car is parked. There are a few other cars in the neighborhood but that is the only one Godou does not recognize, so it's probably the car of his peer. Yes, that makes sen-

Hang on, that's not the question! "I mean how did you enter my house like that?"

"Oh, you mean that…" Doni seems to understand the question, and to answer it he pulls something out of his sleeves… literally, as he now holds a pair of thin metal wires in his hand. "I used these lock picks here. Looks like I still got a knack for it."

"If you busted the lock on that door I'll have you paying for it." Seriously, Godou does not want to be charged money for the stupidity of Doni.

"Haha, don't worry, don't worry." The idiot laughs the problem away, as if it never existed at all. "If you reach my level then you can break in without even scratching the keyhole. That lock over there is not damaged at all."

He does not seem to be lying. Doni is not the type who will or can lie like that. Most likely he would be shamelessly admitting that he broke the lock while aslo claiming he should not be accused for the breaking of the lock.

However, Godou does not want to take the words of this idiot for granted, so he grabs the key to the door and tries to insert it. It slides in without any trouble, and Godou can easily lock or unlock the door. Okay, it seems that Doni was not lying about that.

Godou turns back to the idiot in the hallway, asking about the other part of his question. "Now that we have had the how, can you tell me a bit more about why you are here?"

"It's exactly like I said, I had some other business here in Japan, and since I have some time left I decided to visit a good friend who lives nearby."

"You need to relearn what the definition of good friend is. Either way, could you please leave, this is the first moment I have some free time for myself in a long time, and I do not want to ruin it."

"Don't you Japanese have this special word for your hospitality? Wasn't that about treating your guests with kindness without expecting anything in return?" The word Doni is looking for is omotenashi, but Godou doubts that he should give it to this Italian idiot. It would only make his words seem more true. No, Godou will have to point out the contradiction in that statement:

"While you're not completely incorrect, it's more about treating others how you want them to treat you. And I remember that when I visited Italy you did nothing for me other than trying to fight me. You should understand the discrepancy between your actions and expectations, right?"

"Hmm…" Doni starts to think, though Godou doubts that it is something along the lines he hopes for. "Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth or so?" Doni pulls the cylindrical bag he usually carries from his back, which Godou immediately recognizes as a sign of ill intent.

It can't be! Is he really planning to do that?

Before Godou can object Doni agrees with the words spoken earlier. "Well, that suits me fine too. Hey Godou, why don't you pay me back exactly that? A good, friendly spar will do just fine." Doni starts grinning evilly, and Godou realizes the problem he is in.

Shit, is there nothing he can do to stop this?

-x-

 _An hour later:_

The area around the two fighters has become a wasteland. What was once a fertile city has been completely destroyed by their actions. The two know it, of course, but at the moment all they can think of is defeating the enemy.

They are at their last breath. A single good hit will be enough to kill then. Neither does something, trying to maintain this standstill…

As if on agreement both run at each other, one with sword in hand and the other with very powerful kicks from his legs.

At almost blinding speeds a middle kick is used, aimed at the heart to destroy the enemy. It looks like it will connect, the swordsman is caught off guard!

The sound of steel puts an end to these delusions, as the sword wielded by his enemy cuts straight through one wielding those kicks. The swordsman has cut straight through, avoiding that last attack.

With a loud scream the warrior falls to the ground, killed by his opponent.

 _KO!_

 _Player 2 wins!_

With a frustrated grumble Godou throws his hands away from the arcade machine, angry that he lost. The duo has gone to an arcade, where they just had a friendly duel in one of those fighting games. "Ah, I lost. I didn't take you for a gamer, Doni."

Yes, Godou is glad that he could persuade his peer not to fight in the middle of Godou's home, and that it could be resolved with a more normal form of fun here at the arcade. However, the me-time will sadly have to happen at a different moment… whenever that reappears.

Doni face beams with the joy of victory. Clearly he enjoyed this match. "Eh, it's another fun thing to do. Though to be honest, there are a few genres I dislike, like those role playing games your country makes or MMO's." The problem with those is that a level 1 character cannot beat a level 100 character, even if the former is a lot more skilled. It gets even worse when you take those games for which you need to pay money for the best items. For a game to be good from Doni's perspective only skill and luck decide who wins, and neither money nor time of investment should matter.

"I don't really have any gaming preference, though I prefer actual outside sports over digital ones." But either way, both real and digital sports are much preferred over something like battles of the divine, of which Godou is really glad that that did not happen.

"Yep, they're both lots of fun. Either way, want a rematch?" Doni offers Godou the chance to avenge himself, but he's not interested.

"No, I've had enough of fighting games. Let's do something else." Those fighting games give Godou memories of fights where he skirted a bit too close to death. Something calmer, or at least not dueling, is preferred. Looking around he sees several other arcade machines, but what to choose? A racing game? Perhaps, but the one in this arcade hall is already in use. There's also this DDR _{5}_ musical exercise machine, allowing for a dance battle between two persons.

Nope, no way Godou is going to do that with Doni. Simply the thought of two kings, the highest order of humans, spending their time in a dance-off is ridiculous. There has to be something else for the two to do… ah, there is something!

"How about that one?" Godou points to an empty arcade machine, this one being a shooter game. It's a series of games that is not quite that popular in Japan if you compare it to America or Europe, but it's still a well-made game Godou can see himself playing.

"I'm not such a great gunslinger as our American buddy, but sure, why not? Let's have a nice and friendly duel." Doni and Godou both grab a gun and point it at the screen. Before Godou can input a fifty yen coin into the machine Doni has an offer to make: "Hey Godou, let's make this a bit more interesting and place a little wager."

"Depends on your definition of wager." For Godou kicking Doni's ass in games is a reward in and of itself, but he would rather not put something important on the line. "I won't bet anything that will lead to a fight with another king or deity."

"Maybe later we can do such a bet, but I'm also not really feeling anything for that right now. Let's keep it simple: if you win I will tell you what I've been doing here in Japan. But if I win, I want you to treat me to one of those extra-large milkshakes here. I should try one of those pancake flavored ones."

That… actually sounds pretty normal. It surprises Godou how much sense the idiot makes with this wager. However, Godou is not that terribly impressed by Doni's wager, so the ante gets changed a bit: If Godou wins he will get the story and a medium-sized milkshake, and if Doni wins he gets an extra-large one.

The bet is on, and as the game start the two try to kill more enemies then their opponent can!

…

Five minutes later and an angry Doni almost smashes the gun on the ground. "Unfair! You stole my power-up at the end!"

"It's not against the rules." After all, Godou will exploit rules if and when possible. It's one of the things that allowed him to become a Campione. "Besides, you would've done the same in my position."

Doni… cannot deny that. As a result he calms down a bit, though he is still annoyed that he lost. "C'mon, let's have a rematch. Best 2 out of 3?"

"Accept when you lost, moron. I won, so keep your promises!"

"Fine, fine…" Doni sulks off, heading to a nearby café. Godou follows him, and Godou sees something that is almost an actual wonder: Doni pays for his food. If only Godou knew how special that is he would appreciate it a lot more… while also scolding Doni for being even stupider then he thought.

Sitting at one of the tables Godou asks the question he's earned: "So what deity did I miss? More importantly, did you kill it or just repel it?"

"Hmm, are you talking about my business here in Japan? Ahaha, why would you say that?" Godou doesn't even fell like answering that obvious question, so he simply lets Doni continue talking. "Either way, you would normally be right. However, there's one possibility that you did not account for."

"?" Godou looks puzzled at his peer. What could he have missed? He thinks, and thinks, but there's nothing that comes to mind. "What are you talking about."

"Well, if it ain't a god, what else could I have fun fighting an equal battle against?"

Not a god, but still equal… no way, he can't mean that, can he? "Another of the five godslayers was here in Japan?" Marquis Voban, her eminence Luo Hao, madame Aisha, black prince Alec and John Pluto Smith. One of those was here in Japan too?

"Haha, while it would be fun to fight them it's not any of those five."

Not any of those five? But then who is left? There are seven kings in the world, and Doni denies to have fought any of them. Who or what can be left, Godou seriously doesn't understand.

"Is it really that hard to understand? Did you think you would forever be the youngest king, my good friend?"

Forever the youngest? No, he can't mean… really? "An eighth has been born?"

"Correct, correct! My dear friend, there's an eight king in this world!"

Oh no. This can range from a mild inconvenience to a literal disaster. Best case scenario and Godou will meet someone like John Pluto Smith; calm, not directly causing a fight, and with a possibility to talk it out. Worst case scenario, and there are a lot of those terrible possibilities, is a second Doni. That, or a second Voban. They're equally bad for different reasons.

Godou almost slams his head on the table, but composes himself enough to ask an important question:

"Hang on, why were you here in Japan with him?" Godou fears the worst, but hopes for good news from his peer.

"It's a she, actually, but that aside." Doni starts to grin, as if he really likes the dilemma he is giving his friend and rival. "There is only one obvious reason, isn't there? At this moment there are 2 Japanese Campione."

Oh damn it all. Godou expected this answer to come up, but it would be preferable if it was not so and that eighth ruler simply decided to go on a trip to Japan before suddenly drawing the attention of the Italian king.

Doni notices that his friend looks simply exhausted from this news, so he decides to give a bit of good news. Well, good news from Godou's perspective.

"Eh, I don't think you should worry too much. She's just as big a tsundere as you are." Godou would like to interject that Doni shouldn't use difficult words he doesn't understand, but he'll let this one slide. "Sure, she's a pretty good fighter. I'm glad that [Man of Steel] does have some regenerative abilities, or I wouldn't just suffer from a sore arm. However, her words are as much a contradiction as yours, and she doesn't get into conflicts with others that easily. You've got nothing to worry about, so let it be. Carpe diem, as I like to say."

If what Doni says is true, then perhaps it is not that bad. Perhaps she can become a companion, someone who is in agreement with Godou's ideals. Perhaps she is someone amongst the kings of this world that he might call a friend. As in friend friend. A Sayanomiya or Yinghua type of friend, with absolutely no possible romantic feelings between them. At all.

Yes, that would be nice.

"Hey Godou, now that you're not worrying about that eight king, how 'bout another round?"

Godou looks at the time, and finally sees that he has a valid reason to dumb Doni.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to go. Tomorrow is the birthday of my sister Shizuka, and I still have a few things to prepare." Godou doesn't know why he suddenly let out the name of his sister. It just… flopped out of his mouth. Well, will it matter? Doni probably has already forgotten that name already, nor will he care about anyone other than Godou.

Doni lets his friendly rival go, a diabolical grin on his face. So Godou's little sister is called Kusanagi Shizuka… that is some rather interesting information that Doni obtained. Perhaps the lost bet did have some good luck in it after all…

-x-

 _Third of November, start of school:_

Today is a special day for the Kusanagi family. Today is the birthday of the only female in the family, which is a special occasion that will be celebrated.

Compared to most other countries the Japanese celebrating a birthday is not that big of an event. Until the fifties it was believed that everyone got older on new year's day, not the day they were born. It is only though western influence that celebrating your day of birth has become ingrained in the common populace, and even then it is not that big of an event.

In general Shizuka can expect to get some well-wishes from her general acquaintances, along with exemption from any and all arduous tasks. The only difference is her family, thanks to the family having many overseas adventures that made them more acquainted with foreign culture. While they don't throw a party it is common for the household to give presents when one of them ages a year. Godou has gifted Shizuka a nice handbag and Ichirou has given her a pair of Rostov enamel _{6}_ earrings, which he probably obtained from his trip to Russia three months ago.

These are some nice presents, along with the fact that their parents are bringing them to a more luxurious restaurant to celebrate this event. However, before that Shizuka still needs to go to school.

Sure, she gets greeted by some classmates who wish her a happy birthday, but in general most people do not know about what is happening in her residence. Perhaps a bit too normal, but considering what happened two days ago this is quite acceptable.

So class just goes on as usual. The homeroom teacher enters class like usual, except for a single congrats to Shizuka, before simply going off the list of names.

Ah… perfectly normal and standard. Like it is supposed to b-

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you~" The door to the classroom is kicked open, revealing the person who is currently singing a birthday song. Much to Shizuka's chagrin the only person who could and would do such a thing is the greatest idiot on earth:

"Salvatore Doni…" Ugh, why is he here? This also means that since the fight occurred less than two days ago it's certainly not a victory for the youngest king. Worst of all, he's singing happy birthday out loud in front of the entire class. Perhaps that is more common in the European countries, but it's an embarrassing social faux pas here in Japan.

The other people in her class start to whisper amongst each other, some lines of which Shizuka picks up: "What's an adult doing in here?" "Is he connected to Kusanagi-san?" "What is it with the Kusanagi family and picking up blondes from Italy?" Okay, while Shizuka should protest against that last one she has to admit that that line was pretty funny.

Doni finishes his song, placing the gift he held in his hands on Shizuka's desk. It's a cream-cake, though Doni would call it a torta alla panna. It's also quite large, as if Doni expected that he would have to share with an entire classroom. If so then that is quite nice of him.

"Yo Shizuka, happy birthday! Why didn't you tell me that you were celebrating your anniversary?"

Reason number one: Shizuka does not like Doni. However, to prevent any possible hostility she'll have to choose a more socially acceptable answer: "Us Japanese don't celebrate birthdays that much. It's not that special. Besides, you're interrupting the lessons."

"Ah yes, that would be a bit of a problem." Doni turns to the teacher, and with a warm and kind smiles he asks his ridiculous request: "Hey, Mrs. teacher, would you please grant some part of this hour to let us celebrate her birthday. I'm afraid there is no other moment for me to spread this joy, as I will be leaving Japan in the afternoon. Please, could you bring it from out of the bottom of your heart to grant this to me?"

The teacher stutters back a bit, unsure of what to say, but Doni's soothing and charismatic words seem to grant him some time. With official permission he now plans to cut the cake, before realizing something important: "Say, does anyone of you have a cake cutter here?"

Half the class is still too dazed to give a good response, but the half who adjusted to the new situation quickly answer that they don't have one. Doni probably expected this answer, as he pulls the large cylindrical bag from his back.

Okay, no. This idiot is not going to draw his sword in a classroom. That will bring more problems than Shizuka is willing to handle on a daily basis. The energy in her stones may only be small enough that she can't hurt Doni with it, but it should be enough to prevent this conflict.

Telling Doni that she has a cake-cutter in her bag Shizuka puts her hand inside it. The she softly mumbles the spellwords to summon [Steel], followed by the spell-words needed: "Grant me a blade to prevent the unsheathing of blades." It's really is ridiculous to use divine power for something as small and petty as this, but either way she has a good kitchen knife now. Shizuka offer this knife to Doni, saying that he should cut the cake with this.

Doni looks a bit disappointed, but he accepts the knife and thus averts a potential crisis. Everyone gets a piece of the cake, including the teacher who was supposed to be on a diet. She doesn't seem to remember that as she gobbles up the cake like a hungry lion. Shizuka gets a slightly larger piece, and upon taking a bite has to admit that this is some damn good cake.

"Hah, you like it, don't you? I knew that those contacts I had with that bakery would eventually be useful." Doni also takes a piece, enjoying the sweet taste of his torta.

Shizuka has to admit, this wasn't so bad. Sure, Doni interrupted her lessons and brought a bit of Euro-Japanese social dissonance, but in the end all he wanted was to celebrate Shizuka's birthday. Now Shizuka is forced to say words that she never expected to ever say:

"Thank you for this gift, Salvatore Doni-san." For once Shizuka will politely speak to Doni unlike her standard rude behavior against this person.

"Gift?" Doni looks puzzled. "Uhm, that cake wasn't the gift that I planned. Hey Giovanni, can you bring in that?"

Entering through the doorway is the pirate lookalike, uhm… what was his name again? It was indeed something with the G… but not Giovanni, because Doni probably has that name wrong again.

In his hands he holds a large giftbox. With large Shizuka means something more along the lines of absurdly huge! It has to be at least two meters high and seventy centimeters wide.

"Of course, milord." Uhm, uh, ah yes, his name is Genaro! Genaro drags it along and with a heavy groan he puts it down next to Shizuka.

"Nah, this is what I call a gift. I forced a few of my man to work under torturous conditions for twelve hours without breaks, but it was all worth it now that it is finished."

Shizuka feels a bit bad for the people that have worked so hard for this gift, but that doesn't mean she should not accept it. However, there are a few questions she wants to ask first.

"Doni-san, is this a sword?" It's a bit too wide and tall for that, but you never know with this man.

Doni laughs it off, calling Shizuka's idea ridiculous. "Hey, even I know better than to give things like that to a lady."

"Is it a weapon?"

Now Doni falls flat, stopping his laughter. Doni tries to deny it, but it already is enough for Shizuka to see right through it.

With a sigh she undoes the wrapping paper, finding a large carton underneath it all. Opening that box actually shows her the true gift.

"It's… an electric guitar." To be precise, it's an oversized turquoise guitar. There's a curved part on the left side, going from the nut to the bridge, and it's covered in white fur. On the other side, starting in the middle of the fretboard and ending much lower than the rest of the guitar, is another curved part that sticks out a bit more, though this one is covered in golden shells… "Hang on, did you make this out of my-"

"-beast?" Doni interrupts, clearly admitting that he did exactly that. "You made a few rules, remember? I was out in 23 hours, so that means that I have won our little duel. I just claimed the spoils of war as I promised to."

Shizuka has no interest in giving a counterargument, mainly because she doesn't want to create more havoc by arguing about whether or not he is allowed to take something Shizuka basically threw away. Doni simply continues talking, this time about what surprised him.

"Though I believe I ordered a hunting horn. Strange how this came out of it." Doni ignores it and simply removes the rest of the packaging, letting Shizuka hold the guitar.

As Shizuka tries to lift it she realizes how stupidly heavy this thing is. Ever since becoming a Campione she noticed that she had a slight increase in her strength. Nothing major, but enough to lift a bag of fifteen kilograms with ease. This, on the other hand, might be seven times as heavy, and that would not be an exaggeration. She can barely lift it over her shoulder, and she can feel how hard it is to lift it.

Doni too sees that Shizuka has difficulties lifting it, and gives some advice. "My dear Shizuka, let me give you some help." But instead of helping her lift it he whispers her something in the ear:

"This guitar is a magic item. I haven't exactly seen everything it can do, but the weight problem can be solved easily. Just string the second snare twice and then slide the nut upwards."

Shizuka does as told: First she strings the second snare twice, producing two deep and clear notes. Then she swings the guitar backwards, and slides the nut upwards.

Suddenly the sound of a guitar riff is created from that single action. Everything around her suddenly disappears, replaced by bright sparkling lights. A few seconds later it all disappears, just leaving a classroom, Doni and Genaro staring at her. The former with shock and surprise, the latter two with a smile of success, and Genaro is even filming it all!

Looking at herself she can see why everyone looks so surprised. What the hell is she wearing?! It's made from the same materials as the monster, looking like some sort of abnormal samurai armor. If that was all she could live with it. No, her main focus is on the fact that this armor bares both her midriff and the back of her upper legs. She looks at the two who are probably the cause of this, that idiot and his accomplice!

Those two are actually bumping their fists, as if congratulating each other. "To think that I would see such a beautiful magical girl transformation in real life! I graciously thank you, milord!"

Doni calls it nothing, saying that he also simply wanted to see something fun.

The tricked one, Shizuka, ponders an entirely different question: Is she angry enough to actually harm these two for embarrassing her? With angry eyes she looks at these two idiots, readying this large blunt object to smash the enemy.

"Doni...!"

-x-

 _Early evening:_

Now back at home Shizuka is glad that the debacle at school is over. Luckily for her Genaro had the heart to hypnotize the students into forgetting Doni's visit, as well as instructing her how to turn back to normal. He also promised to temporarily hide the gift in one of the school's storage rooms, making sure that nobody notices it. Hopefully now nobody will have any idea that something weird happened today at school.

Ugh, at least she had fun being the host at the tea ceremony club. All she gained from Doni's gift is that she now has to do that summon ritual again for this weapon, lest a poor soul stumbles on this thing and finds it. And after that, hopefully there will never, ever be a time she needs to unsummon that damned thing again!

But that should be dealt with tomorrow, can't let it continue ruining the birthday. She has returned back to home, anticipating the nice things that will happen this evening. Tonight she will be treated to dinner by her family, but it's especially the guests who are coming that really brighten the mood. For once in a pretty long time both father and mother Kusanagi have freed time to celebrate the birthday of their daughter. They are rarely seen in the Kusanagi residence, let alone both at the same time! Seeing them again might perhaps be the biggest gift that can be given.

However, it is not meant to be. At half past six Shizuka gets a phone call from her mom, Kusanagi Mayo, that a business deal has come up and she is required to attend it lest she loses a deal worth millions.

In other words, mother won't be coming home… again. Shizuka kind of expected something like that to happen, considering how busy that woman is with her company. Oh well, at least her father might still come, so some celebrations can be spend.

Fifteen minutes later the siblings sit around the table, mood a bit dampened.

"So what do you think, onii-chan?" Shizuka asks to her onii-chan, asking the big question of the moment. "My vote is that he won't end up coming."

"I'll cast my vote on that too." Godou knows perfectly well that both father and mother, while very successful in the world of business, are rather neglectful parents. "Maybe he had some matters to take care of, want to wait a little more?"

"We don't have much of a choice really." And so the waiting game begins. Godou pours in some drinks for himself and the birthday girl, as they can't really do much else but wait.

Fifteen minutes later they learn that their thoughts are reality. Their father has send them a mail that is not the harbinger of good news:

 _To my dearest Shizuka,_

 _Happy birthday!_

 _I'm afraid that I'm not able to make it to your birthday celebration tonight. Some urgent business has come up and I need to go to Toronto as quickly as possible._

 _As a result we will not be able to go to that Spanish restaurant for your birthday. I've spoken with the manager of the restaurant and I have moved the date to the fifteenth of December. I hope that we can then spend some time together to celebrate this birthday._

 _Also, if you want you can take a friend with you, that will be no problem at all._

 _On another note, my lovely Shizuka, if you get tired of school then I can arrange for you to get an extra week of vacation with me down at the Caribbean. It's not like anything useful is taught during the last week before Christmas, so feel free to join me. Consider it a form of a birthday present._

 _Technically the same offer stands for you Godou, but would you be so cruel as to interrupt a loving meeting between father and daughter? That is something that would be absolutely unforgivable!_

 _I hope that you still have a good birthday._

 _With many loving kisses from your father,_

 _Your dad Genzou_

"Well, that is to be expected of dad." Shizuka already voted for his absence, and now it has been proven. It's just another thing for their family.

"This would only happen to dad." Godou can only see his dad having things like this happen. Compared to mom, who doesn't make any promises, old man Genzou has the problem that most of his promises get broken by sudden changes in work.

In conclusion: no father to show up, no mother to show up, combine that with an appearance of Salvatore Doni and you might perhaps have the worse birthday so far of Shizuka's life.

Shizuka lets out a big sigh of disappointment. Sure, she could've seen this coming from a mile away, but this parental neglect still saddens her a bit.

Dark thoughts gather in Shizuka's head, as she comes with a new plan for celebrating her birthday: How about she uses her authorities to force her parents to attend? That might actually be her best shot at uniting them once more.

Quickly she realizes that such an action is futile. After all, her stones aren't revitalized enough to allow for such frolicking. Along with the social implications of course. Forcing people to do things against their will is bad, of course Shizuka remembers that.

"So, my children couldn't come again?" Shizuka snaps out of her thoughts, and realizes that her gramps is standing in front of her. He appearantly could read the disappointment from Shizuka's face, as he tries to cheer up the youngest member of the family: "Hey Shizuka, how about we go to the Pakistani? It's not like we got anything else left in home."

Well, that might do too. And having a happy outing with her gramps and onii-chan is quite nice too. Perhaps there is some light in this after all.

-x-

The Kusanagi siblings try their best to salvage what remains of the birthday party. At the same time there is a matter of importance being handled by the great knight of the [Copper Black Cross], Erica Blandelli. It is about the former rival to the title of [Diavolo Rosso], Genaro Gantz. Erica has obtained some knowledge from inside her organization, why was he here in Tokyo?

It takes a while for the other side to connect, but eventually the phone gets picked up:

"Eh, hello?" That voice! "If you're trying to reach Guiseppe, then I'm afraid he's a bit busy at the moment. Not sure when he'll be back though."

Yeah, there's only one person with such a voice that can combine Italian friendliness with such a lack of care.

"Greetings, your highness. Allow me to express my deepest gratitude that I am allowed to speak to you again." Salvatore Doni! But if he has the phone of the organization's other Italian great knight… then does that mean?

"Ah, you're that blonde girl who serves my dear Godou! How's it going with him, Elena?" And it seems like Doni is still amazing at getting people's names wrong. Hah, that's a problem that will never be solved.

"My name is Erica, milord, but that is not of relevance here. I wanted to ask my fellow knight a few questions, but your answering of the phone has most likely proven my theory."

"Hey, would you mind telling me this theory of yours? I've got nothing to do here, so I am a bit interested in this idea of yours, Elsa." Okay, now Erica is wondering if Doni is getting her name wrong on purpose! She literally just said her name five seconds ago!

No, that moron's stupidity should not make Erica feel angry or annoyed. Erica ignores that Doni has gotten her name wrong again, and simply talks about what her sleuth powers found out: "I heard from the [Copper-Black Cross] that Genaro Gantz visited the islands of Japan. Over here a blonde-haired young man was seen at his side. I would normally ask sir Gantz who this person is, but from you picking up this phone I believe that that question has been answered, has it not your highness?"

"Correct, correct, it's me." In a jovial tone Doni admits that he is the accomplice, though there are some things Doni wants to hear next: "But that can't be all, right? You should know a bit more about what I do here if you did some real investigating."

"Please let this knight explain the rest of the story, your majesty. I, Erica Blandelli, believes that this can be fully explained." Doni grants Erica permission to tell of the deed Doni has done here in Japan, and so the red devil speaks of everything: "The first question that needs to be answered is why a king would casually visit the lands of another king. Someone knowledgeable about and experienced with the Italian king knows that there are three possibilities for why you visit: To fight a divine beast, to fight a god, or to fight a godslayer."

Doni admits that it's true. Fighting is usually the reason why he visits alternate countries, much to the annoyance of his Japanese friend. Erica continues talking as Doni listens with a small smile of anticipation:

"The first is unlikely. While you do slay many of these in Italy or on neutral grounds you barely even touch those in the Balkan, England or Egypt. You don't travel to the lands of another king simply to steal a divine beast."

"Yep, I did not come here to slay a divine beast. In that case, which is it: Did I fight a god or a godslayer?"

"And there's the problem: Both are not correct. While your majesty does steal gods under the noses of other kings the other Campione would certainly note that a deity has appeared on their lands. Godou would certainly have gone after that god, along with me. If you were having a rematch with my lord and lover then the same problem arises, Godou would certainly know and ask for my aid. And as far as our information network goes, there is no mention of any of the other five godslayers being in Japan."

"But I am here, for a reason. Now that you a speaking against your own words that must mean that there's a contradiction there. So what is the contradiction then? Did I not go to Japan for a fight? Did I manage to secretly hide a god from Godou? What is it?"

Doni seems to have fun playing detective with Erica, wanting to see how Godou's lover and knight deals with this situation. It seems bad for Erica, since what she says seems to be impossible. However, she does not have a reason to simply give up.

"The contradiction? The answer is that there is none. Every words this knight has spoken is true, so there can be no contradiction in it."

"Then how do you explain your own words?" Doni seems to get slyer and slyer with every word of Erica, as he realizes that she is ever closer. Can she figure out the truth?

"The answer is surprisingly simple. There is one possibility I haven't named yet: his highness Salvatore Doni went to Japan to fight a Campione who is not Kusanagi Godou."

"Now that is a bold claim to make. There is a king born only six months after the last? That's quite impossible, y'know?"

"Not impossible, milord, just improbable. A famous man _{7}_ once said: Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. And while I could go on with long theories I have just obtained an even more solid piece of proof: your majesty Salvatore Doni, would you please indulge this knight with how you obtained the knowledge that the king is born six months after Kusanagi Godou?"

Salvatore Doni clicks his tongue, realizing that he made a mistake. Well then, it seems that the game is over. "Hah, word games like these do not suit me at all. You're right, there has been born an eighth king in Japan, six months after dear Godou ascended. Well done, Eleonore."

"This knight thanks you for your praise, your highness." Though no thanks are given for him getting her name wrong again. However, that is not why Erica clicks her tongue, as she suddenly realizes something. "However, with this last bit of knowledge you graciously gave to me I believe I can do even better."

Doni turns exited again, realizing that some more fun might be had with these conclusions. "Go on then! Tell me what kind of exiting conclusion you made!"

"Let us talk about the knowledge of the six months first. If we continue counting from when Godou became a king that would mean that this king became a lord in late October or early November."

Doni calls that knowledge correct, allowing Erica to continue. "Another clue is that today something strange happened at school. While many people can't seem to recall anything at all there are a few who have spotted a blonde-haired stranger entering Jounan academy, along with someone who looks like a pirate. Now, this wouldn't be you and sir Gantz, would it milord?"

"Didn't Godou tell you that I visited him these days? That's quite the simple explanation for your answer."

"But today I spend the whole day with him, and I haven't seen you once. In fact, you weren't even seen at the high school building, the only people who noted anything saw you entering the middle school building."

"So what are you trying to say?"

"The only reason you would bother to visit such a school building is to meet with the eighth king. In other words, the eighth king is a middle school student or teacher of Jounan academy who became a Campione a month ago."

"Haha, not bad at all! That's correct what you are saying there! You're pretty good, I guess I can leave Godou in reliable hands like yours when the two kings fight."

"I am thankful of the compliment, but I still have not finished my explanation." Doni continues to listen intently, wondering what more she has to say.

"Since students and teachers do not leave Japan these days that must mean that the god descended somewhere in Japan. However, Godou wasn't brought in to deal with the problem. The only possibility is if he was busy with another god. The only time this could've happened is during the first week of November." That was the moment Godou fought the remains of true lord Erlang. The incident with Sun Wukong was too early, while the incident with Athena was too late.

Doni encourages Erica to go on, who does as ordered: "However, there were no notifications that a god descended in Tokyo, meaning that the ascension took place somewhere else. Everyone was learning in Tokyo during that week… except for class 2-B, where one of them won a trip to the northern parts of Japan. While news spoke about an earthquake, it would be more logical if it was the cause of a heretic god, is it not?"

"I say, it does sound quite plausible. And then?"

"As becoming a king restores your body to full health only the people who came out unscathed are possible candidates for kingship. That leaves exactly eight students who might be your peer. If we look amongst those who actually had the time to duel with you then there is exactly one possibility left. In fact, it also explains why some claim to have seen a massive birthday present. The eight Campione, who coincidentally celebrates her birthday today, is none other than Kusanagi Godou's younger sister, Kusanagi Shizuka."

Erica can almost hear Doni grinning on the other side of the phone. "Hahaha, to think that you could come to that conclusion with pure guesswork. Hey, you sure that you don't wanna switch over to work at my side?"

"Please, your majesty, to suggest the separation of lovers is a joke not even you should make."

"Hey, just joking!" Doni tries to talk his way out of it, though he knows too that an Italian like him should not desecrate love. "In fact, I'm offering you a pretty sweet deal of my own. My dear friend is indeed quite talented at gathering females to his side, and who knows how many he will get. How about I help you assure the dominant position of first wife?"

"Hoho. I thank you for the offer, but you are offering me, Erica Blandelli, something she can gain herself. I assure you that I do not need help for that."

"Ah, can't you just play along? Perhaps I need to make this offer to one of the other girls. Remember how that silvery girl managed to get is such good standards with dear Godou?"

Hmm… that was the fight with Perseus. And yes, Lily's success with Godou was thanks to Salvatore Doni setting the stage for a fight with purely that silver-haired witch as a companion to Godou. Erica managed to maintain her top position, but if one of the other girls manages to get help from Doni then she might be in for a hard time.

"This knight is interested in your proposition, your majesty. Please enlighten the offer you are planning."

"You see, there's this rather particular situation going on there with you. Two kings who are absolutely unaware of each other's status. Last time I heard of something like that wasa century ago from the time of old man Voban. So let's have a little bet between us: Who will figure out the other's identity first? The older brother or the younger sister?"

"Then do not mind if this knight bets on her own lord, your highness Salvatore Doni."

"Of course I don't mind, so I will go for our youngest king. However… this info we discussed is a secret just between us. If you tell either of them, well, I won't punish you, but I might offer some assistance of my own to the other girls."

That last one is a scenario Erica would rather avoid if she can help it, so she listens intently to the offer of the king. "If you win, then I will help you conquer your love. Give you some time and place just for the two of you, perhaps with some nice bonuses if the possibility arises for it."

"I understand. However, what if you win?"

"Oh, nothing much. Y'see, I fought dear Shizuka in battle, and I kinda broke my sword in that battle. Sure, she was nice enough to give me the materials to make a new one, but I kinda liked the old one. It's a special collector's edition, and it's rather hard to find in stores. Just find me one of those and then your task is done."

That's surprisingly simple, thought it will cost her some time and resources to find such an identical blade.

"Very well. I, Erica Blandelli, swears hereby thus that I will uphold the wager as we discussed. I swear it on my honor as a knight."

Doni also accepts the wager, before proclaiming that he has to hang up. Just as he said that he actually hung up, so fast that Erica couldn't even say goodbye.

Erica also hangs up, as she stares out of the window of her room. Kusanagi Godou and Kusanagi Shizuka, the two Campione of Japan… how will their story unfold?

-x-

{1} Mizuya and tokonoma: The first is the preparation area for a tea ceremony, used for things like cleaning the supplies and boiling extra water. The tokonoma is the recess where you place items for artistic impressions. The most common ones are a hanging scroll and flower arrangement, though.

{2} Sen Soshitsu XV: The fifteenth generation head of Urasenke, one of the three major tea ceremony schools in Japan. His real name is Hanso Soshitsu.

{3} Obon Temae: The least formal of tea ceremonies, it's also the first one learned by people new to the trade. Perfect for people in a school circle to practice.

{4} Derby della Madonnina: How soccer matches between Inter and A.C. Milan are called. Named after the gilded bronze statue on top of the Duomo di Milano… that Godou destroyed in his battle with Doni. Damn it Godou.

{5} DDR: Dance Dance Revolution, a video game by Konami and a trendsetter in rhythm games. Has nothing to do with the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, a former country belonging to the Soviet Union.

{6} Rostov enamel: A type of painting on enamel originating from the Russian city of Rostov in the year 1706. Heavily influenced by the classicism style of painting, it became heavily factory-produced after the second world war, and is to this day Russia's most popular way of painting on enamel.

{7} This person is Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle.

-x-

So now Shizuka own the Ame no Nuhoko and a Despot's Thunderclap. Perhaps she should start her own armory if this continues. Now before you are wondering how Doni managed to obtain so much drops from a single monster, don't forget that Campiones have amazing drop rates. They're really lucky, y'know.

On another note, I am sure that most of you readers are Americans who are not that interested in football. Actual football, not that second-rate rugby thing you guys play at high school. If I want to mention that I will call it by the name of gridiron.

Back to actual football, I have absolutely no proof that Erica and Liliana like football this much. I do know that the official author, Taketsuki Jou, likes it. Considering that every European name he uses in his story is based on a soccer player (e.g. Niko Krancjar, Cristiano Doni, Paul Gascoigne) I'm pretty sure of that hypothesis. I decided to join Jou in this, considering that a certain unlucky witch is a shout-out to Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliviera.

The same goes for European magic associations, which are based on soccer clubs. [Bronze Black Cross] = Inter Milan, [Copper Black cross] = A.C. Milan, Turin's [Old Dame] = Juventus and Rome's [Female Wolf] = A.S. Roma, to name a few. European magic is named after soccer, and I tried to do the same. However, since RC Strasbourg Alsace does not have a specific nickname (as far as I know) I named [Gardé Imperial] after how the Holy Roman empire viewed the city.

In fact, I even used the names of a few official soccer commentators for the soccer commentators here, namely Giovanni Di Marzio and Tancredi Palmeri.

Perhaps next you'll see me writing European characters with last names like Ziyech, Burdenski or Mackay. Maybe there will also be something like a Greek magic association named [Twin Eagles] or a German [Royal Blues], named after AEK and Schalke '04.

Either way, I made those girls fans of the club their respective association is based on. I mean, they're Italians. For those people soccer is tradition, love, passion! They can't not be fan of a club!

And thus the Doni arc is over. What will the next arc be about? Well… since it's about time for the events of chapter 12 to play out, or what is left of it ever since the death of Guinevere… oh well, just continue reading to find out!


	10. Arc 4: Out of the Frying Pan,

_Fifteenth of December, early morning, Kusanagi residence._

Awakened by the loud noise of the alarm clock Shizuka wakes up from her sleep, still slightly groggy from this rude awakening.

6:30 AM. Slightly later than usual, but these cold winter nights always make Shizuka feel sleepy, hence the slight increase in bed time.

Godou doesn't suffer from this problem, being slightly more accustomed to the icy cold temperatures. When Shizuka went downwards she found out that he actually went out jogging. Now that's a surprise, ever since he has to wake Erica up in the morning Godou's jogging sessions have been moved to nighttime.

Perhaps Erica is not coming to school today, perhaps a case of sickness? Who knows? Shizuka has more important matters to take care of.

Since grandpa Ichirou is traveling through Bhutan for at least a month a new schedule has been made for cooking, and today it is Shizuka's turn to make breakfast.

Time to make some simple miso soup. Standing in front of the gas stove Shizuka prepares all the ingredients needed, though a lot of ingredients are replaced by miso stock manufactured by a major brand.

Spending her time cooking she hears someone calling out a "Yo." from behind.

"You're supposed to say good morning, onii-chan."

"We've been siblings for more than a decade. This is good enough."

Oh whatever, such a small slight is something Shizuka doesn't really care about. She stops talking about that and simply continues working on the soup. Using a small dish to pre-taste some of her food she find it quite decent.

But that's all.

"It tastes bad?" Godou noticed Shizuka's sour expression, so he asks the most natural question.

"Of course not. Simply dissolving miso paste in boiling water is enough to achieve this taste." It's not that miso is the most difficult dish to make, after all. Anyone with a bit of experience could make it. "But compared to what grandpa makes, it is rather bad."

The duo have a small discussion about gramps, agreeing that his cooking is better than that of the sibling duo combined. It's probably due to his diligence in cooking.

They're also complaining about how suddenly Ichirou left home for Bhutan, visiting probably another one of his female connections.

"I really do like grandpa, but his female relationships have always been a sore sight."

"I think so too."

"You have nothing to talk about, onii-chan." Really, Godou, someone here is a little hypocrite. Who is it that is hanging around with god knows how many girls?

"What are you talking about, Shizuka?"

Innocent denial? That's a first for Shizuka. Normally he would talk about how it is all a misunderstanding on Shizuka's side, but to say that he knows nothing of it is even more ridiculous. "Onii-chan…" With a threatening smile Shizuka is telling her brother that he should speak the truth.

But Godou looks puzzled. "Seriously, what are you talking about, Shizuka?"

"You… you seriously don't know?" What the hell? Godou is not that great in telling straight-up lies. If he makes one of those Shizuka always sees straight through. It's a different story when talking about half-truths or truth from a certain perspective, but this lack of lechery on Godou's part is a straight opposite from his usual self.

In fact, he seems to be telling the truth. He really, truly believes that he is not an "enemy of all women", so to say.

Does that mean… well, what? "Who are you?" Shizuka can only barely manage to say, seriously confused by this event.

Godou also looks confused at this sudden outburst. What does Shizuka mean with that? "Your… brother?" He too does not understand why Shizuka gives him such a questionable look. "Did I do something wrong, Shizuka?"

"N-No, it's nothing." Shizuka dismisses her brother by claiming that she needs to concentrate on the soup, so Godou leaves to the living room. This leaves Shizuka alone with one important thought:

Kusanagi Godou is not building a harem.

Kusanagi Godou is not building a harem.

Kusanagi Godou is not building a harem.

No matter how often Shizuka repeats these words she cannot believe this incredible situation. Sure, Shizuka had hoped for her brother to live a normal life, but to get it so sudden? Something abnormal has to be going on. But what exactly is the cause?

First and most simple option, this is all a dream. It would explain everything. However, a quick and painful pinch tells her that this is the real life, and not just fantasy.

Maybe Shizuka caused this situation? She could do this with her authority, yes. Something like that is easy for a Campione, though she would, or should, not use such drastic measurements. However, why would she not remember doing so? There's absolutely no reason to give herself amnesia after doing such a thing. It's technically possible, but quite unlikely.

Okay, second option, Shizuka somehow landed in an alternate universe where everything is the same except for her brother being not that amazing with girls. Yeah, it's as unlikely as the first. How and why is she in this world then, and could such a convenient world pop up so easily? Shizuka truly doubts it.

Perhaps some female mage cursed Godou with a spell because he was trying to charm that woman? It would explain a lot, actually, though Shizuka wonders which mage would be stupid enough to harm the family of a godslayer. Shizuka feels that if this is the cause she should punish that person harshly for harming her family. After that though there can be some form of friendship or camaraderie formed. It's not every girl who can see through and resist Godou's charms that easily.

Now are there perhaps other possibilities… uhm, could it be? This is the work of an enemy god? Well, okay, a god could certainly perform such a feat. The biggest problem is "why?". Why would a god be interested to change a single human's success with women? That makes absolutely no sense at all, even from a supernatural point of view.

No, more research is needed before a conclusion can be reached. Shizuka needs to do a bit of investigation after this to find out what exactly happened here.

A burning smell tells Shizuka that she has been lost in world of thought for a bit too long, as the miso soup starts to burn a bit. Quickly she turns off the stove before looking how salvageable the soup is. A quick taste tells her that she's been just in time. Any longer and she would've completely wasted some stock.

Yeah, Shizuka can't be lost in thought forever. For now, she has to concentrate on more worldly matters. This supernatural even can be investigated later today.

The first place she can start her investigation is at her school: what do the other people know about Kusanagi Godou the casanova, and how much is their memory altered? Here she can get info from her classmates, some of Gddou's classmates and the members of the tea ceremony club. After school ends this does give her some clarification:

Nobody seems to remember anything about a Godou who managed to obtain all of the boy's envy with his female successes. Everyone who does remember him seems to recall him as just another rather ordinary student, his special abilities not being all that remarkable. Even Mariya, one of the girls completely smitten with Godou, is back to how she was before the start of this school year: Mature, calm and modest, the personality which made her one of the school's beauties and a respectable person in Shizuka's eyes.

In other words, not only is Godou reformed, nobody seems to remember his bad side to begin with. Well, except for Shizuka, but she is certain that that is because of her stupidly high resistance to magic and the like. The only other person who might be unaffected here in Japan is the seventh king, though he probably isn't aware of Kusanagi Godou's existence.

However, one of the potential causes can be written off. If a female mage did this then she has to have mind-controlled at least everyone in the ward the Kusanagi house is located in, which is more than 200.000 inhabitants. No human mage can manipulate that many people in one night.

That leaves three possibilities: A godslayer caused it (probably Shizuka), a god caused it, or this is a parallel universe.

Shizuka does not have enough knowledge to come to the correct answer, so she has to get some help from outside. After all, she does have two loyal followers who can help her with this problem.

Flipping out her phone from her school bag Shizuka types in the number of the Renjou witch, who should currently be attending her university.

"Hello, Shizuka-san?" Ah good, at least Fuyuhime still recognizes this phone number. That likely means that even if this is a parallel universe her own status as a king is unchanged.

"Hello Fuyuhime, how are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm a bit tired. I've just finished with my studies for today, and I had quite a lot to do. Working for nine hours is pretty hard. How about you?"

"Still quite well, but a few problems have arrived. It's nothing much, but they're clearly related to magic and I don't know enough to solve it. Since you have some free time, could you and Sakura help me?"

"Uhm… do we have to do it today? Sakura followed the same lectures, and she's just as tired as I am. Tomorrow I've much less work, so can't we gather tomorrow?"

While Shizuka would prefer it to solve this mystery sooner than later she would rather not do it with a tired group. Working hard is important, but so is working efficiently. Only by combing these two can you make the most results.

"Sure, Then we'll do that. I'm finished at a quarter past three, so how about we meet fifteen minutes after that?" Fuyuhime has no problems, and they quickly settle on one of the cafés in the neighborhood. With that settled both say goodbye to one another.

Putting the phone back in her pocket Shizuka decides to go home and rest, so she can give tomorrow her full focus.

-x-

 _Sixteenth of December, early evening._

When Shizuka arrived at the café she noticed that she was the last to arrive. Both Sakura and Fuyuhime are there, and considering that they already have drinks they have waited for at least some time. Sakura is dressed in a blue blouse with long grey skirt, while Fuyuhime has a black hoodie with green scarf and jeans.

"Sorry that I'm late." Shizuka apologizes for her tardiness, but the two girls forgive her easily. They know all too well how long school can take, especially when you compare it to the university. Quickly the small talk ends, as they have more important things to discuss:

"Shizuka-chan, why did you call us over? I heard something from Fuyuhime-chan about a god or so. However, we didn't notice anything abnormal happening."

"I don't know if it's a god or not, but it's not unlikely." After all, there's still enough possibilities open that it doesn't need to be a god. However, there's something else that Shizuka wants to ask: "By the way, how are you accustoming to your new body?"

After the battle with… well, that moron, Sakura showed courage and willpower in the face of a divine spirit just to help her friend. Commendable indeed, so Shizuka judged it all right to have her niece join her in battle. To make this function Shizuka used the same part of her authority as she used on Fuyuhime: Transferring someone's soul from an ordinary body to one with the disposition of a talented witch. It took forty percent of Shizuka's authority, and even now those two stones have still not filled back to the maximum amount.

Now that Sakura is a talented witch directly serving one of the eight Campione it should be easy for her to join the history compilation committee, but she's not yet part of them. Witches like her get an official ceremony every first of the month, just like two weeks ago with Fuyuhime, where she will officially become a member. At that time she will also get a weapon appointed to her, as well as payment from the association. It's a nice way to cover study expenses, compared to a real job.

"Ah, there's nothing wrong with it, Shizuka-chan! It's not much different from my old body, really." Shizuka did not really change anything about Sakura's looks. There's nothing that really needed to be changed, and even if she wanted to Shizuka has no idea how to actually change the body other than the magical disposition. "Fuyuhime helps me with learning magic, and Lance-kun is a lot nicer than I thought."

"Lance…kun?" That must be Lancelot, but is she naming a god, a divine warrior, a hero… like a pet? Knowing Sakura she means no harm with that nickname, but it's surprising Lancelot accepts such a derogatory name.

"Yep, Lance-kun! He's a really nice god, and he promised to lend me a bit of his power when I'm in trouble so I can help you. He's a good person." Well, Sakura is probably the only one who will ever think in such ways about a deity.

"Well, that's… very nice. I'll expect a lot from you in the future." However, it's not the time to speak about Sakura's abilities. There is, after all, a supernatural event going on in the city. "But let's talk about what is occurring here:"

Shizuka explains the situation as far as she knows it. She herself remembers her brother as a lady-killer, but everyone else seems to have completely forgotten this fact. Other than this nothing else has changed, and Shizuka doubts that it's her own memory that is failing here.

In fact, it would probably be hard for any mage to even affect the tiniest bit of those memories, making the situation even more unlikely.

Shizuka also tells about the other possibilities that might've caused this: She's either landed in a parallel universe or someone the level of a god or their slayers used an authority.

"Hmm…" Fuyuhime and Sakura both think for a while about this problem, and it's Sakura who is the first to speak up: "From what I can remember Godou is not at all a lady-killer. He's a nice and proper man who will gently help others."

Shizuka does not really believe that her niece's words are credible. After all, there's the big problem that Sakura, cute as she may be, has always been as oblivious to Godou's love life as the man in question himself. In other words, it's Fuyuhime who needs to share how she remembers it.

Fuyuhime thinks long and hard, but eventually comes to a conclusion: "I… do not know Godou that well," Other than that he is a Campione, of course, "But as far as I can remember from the times we met he doesn't seem to have any relations with women. I'm sorry, Shizuka-san, but we don't seem to recall the same things."

Well, this confirms a few things. "So there is probably some god causing this kind of disparity." Yeah, if even Sakura and Fuyuhime are affected then the range of this spell is at least Tokyo itself. There's no way that this can be done without the power of the gods.

"Hmm… it's a bit too early to say that." While Shizuka is ascertained of divine intervention Fuyuhime wants to look at another option: "Say, I have another possibility: If what you say is true, than perhaps it is not a god which caused this. Could it not be a grimoire?"

"A grimoire?" In the research Shizuka did there were a few passages mentioning such a word, but it was never fully explained. "Could you explain that to me?"

Fuyuhime takes this cue and talks right away: "A grimoire is, unlike what modern fiction likes to call it, a magic book. Instead it is the accumulation of the power of gods and legends. The grimoire is closely tied to its creator, so as long as the myth of that god or legend exist than the grimoire will too, being completely indestructible. There are multiple purposes for a grimoire. One of the most common types are those that gather a large amount of magical knowledge, creating a manual that can teach mages spells capable of even hurting the gods themselves."

That's surprisingly useful, Shizuka has to admit. One of those could really help to progress their growth as mages.

"In fact, even I possess one of these types. It's what I've been using to teach Sakura before we met you." Shizuka makes a mental note to see this grimoire once. Perhaps there might be interesting things written in it. "But either way, those grimoires are usually made by ordinary humans, albeit very famous ones. The rare grimoires are made by gods, usually for the sake of sealing a facet of a particular deity. For example, take the Greek god Aphrodite. She's a goddess of love with the origin of a mother earth goddess. It would be entirely possible to summon just the goddess of love and keep the aspect of earth sealed in a grimoire."

Those are not as useful. Shizuka doubts that she will ever summon a god of her own, and she will probably either repel or kill a god before she would seal it. Silently she continues listening.

"The last mayor type is also the rarest: grimoires that contain a god's authority. These are extremely uncommon, and it's not wrong to say that the ones here in the far east can be counted on my hands. Obtaining just one is ridiculously hard, let alone something like three." Yes, it's probably impossible for such an unlikely event to happen. Why would there ever be three of those grimoires in one place? "Either way, while they can unleash an authority they are still pretty useless as a weapon. While it can use divine power the energy required is so high that it usually kills the caster after they used it. Even for a godslayer they are usually nothing more than an unreliable one-time use authority."

"So how did one of them actually cause this situation?" Sure, what Fuyuhime says is interesting, but it's quickly turning into unrelated exposition. Shizuka needs answers to her situation, not a lesson in magic.

"Divine artifacts are often cursed one way or another. For example, they can make the wearer ill, or have a curse specific to a deity attached to it. For example, the aforementioned Aphrodite could make a grimoire cursed to make those who touch it unpopular in love."

Fuyuhime's explanation… makes a surprising lot of sense. "So onii-chan somehow found a grimoire, which cursed him to become unpopular with the ladies."

As much as Shizuka wants to accept this truth it's Sakura that points out a glaring contradiction: "But… then why does no one but you remember him being popular?"

"Obviously, it's the power and resistances of a Campione tha-"

Before Shizuka can finish that sentence Fuyuhime chimes in on this talk, also seeing the problem with her earlier solution: "But it's a curse of love. What the grimoire did is either warp reality or alter memories, which are both clearly not domains an ordinary love goddess rules over."

"Tsk." Shizuka has to admit that her followers are right. So much for that solution. "I doubt that we'll find anything just by sitting here." Shizuka propose a little bit of investigation. Scout the area, see if there's a disturbance in magic around this place. Clearly something abnormal must be in this city, right?

The other two agree. After finishing their drinks at the café the trio goes out on the streets, ready to solve this mystery.

So how do you investigate a mystery like this? The first clue lies in the fact that according to Shizuka everything was fine when she went to sleep. If that is true, than this event must have happened sometime two nights ago. If this were the work of a god or a godslayer than that means that an authority was used. With these powers massive burst of magic are used, more than mages can offer up. The air and ground will be saturated with spiritual energy, even more than a day later.

If this upsurge in energy can be located then the location of the incident can be identified. With that at least the "Where?" Question can be answered, and with some luck a few others like "What?", "Why?" or "Who?" can be answered too.

Luckily for Shizuka there are two witches, mages attuned to the powers of earth, and capable of solving this problem. They have spells capable of figuring out the truth.

"So what are you two going to do?" What kind of perplexing magecraft will be used as the search function? Fuyuhime starts to explain as she enters a nearby shop with Shizuka to buy the first of her preparations:

"It's a form of voodoo magic originating from African witchcraft. Originally it was a way to put parts of a human, like hair, into an effigy so that they would be considered one and the same thing. If you would burn the effigy the human would also spontaneously burst into flames. Later improvements of this allowed for this spell to function on non-living object, like this here."

Fuyuhime points to the map in her hand, the one she is planning to buy. It's an ordinary map of Tokyo, with no magical properties. "If I turn this into an effigy for the real city we can figure out where exactly this magical event took place."

"Just from a single map?" If that is true, then this is quite the nifty spell. Perhaps Shizuka should learn it herself in case another one of these incidents takes place, it might be helpful.

"No, not just the map. Sakura went to another shop to get the other item we need." Looking around Shizuka sees that her second follower is not there. When did she leave, Shizuka didn't notice that at all.

Fuyuhime pays for the map and walks outside, where they wait a short while for their friend to come back. Eventually Sakura returns with a small plastic bag held in her right hand, clearly successful in her purchase. However, that doesn't mean it isn't polite to ask:

"So, did you find what you were looking for, Sakura-chan?"

Instead of answering Sakura simply pulls out what is in the plastic bag: a plush toy about the size of Sakura's palm. It appears to be modeled after a dachshund.

"A… stuffed animal?" Shizuka looks a bit in disbelief. The map, as Fuyuhime explained it, made sense. A toy made for cuddling, however, not quite so. "Is this really supposed to be an effigy?"

"But Shizuka-chan, this is also a good effigy. This will sniff out the abnormal magic, figuring out the location where this happened."

Hang on… using a tiny animal to figure out a location… are they doing that? Is this the same kind of ritual as used in Niseko? The one with the dragon and the stone tablets, performed by that half-foreign witch? But if that is true… "So do you need 90 minutes of preparation time too?"

Sakura nods, while Fuyuhime responds that it might take up to two hours. Ugh, it's going to take a very long time before there are results. Shizuka mentally groans at how annoying this witchcraft is. Can't she use her authority to speed up the process?

No, that would be a bad idea. Wasting a fifth of her power just to spare some time is way too reckless, even for a godslayer.

"Is there really no way to decrease the amount of time it takes?"

Fuyuhime tells of one option: If a godslayer infused magic in these items it might go quicker… but if Shizuka pours in even a little bit too much energy, then this might result in an explosion of magic. Harmless to Shizuka herself, pretty destructive to her surroundings.

Yeah, that won't do. While Shizuka is certain that her control is better than a month ago she wouldn't trust herself enough to do a precise job like that.

In other words, she has to wait. Since meeting with the witch duo quite some time has passed, and the streets are already filled with the light of lamps instead of that of the sun. Before they could even perform this ritual it would be eight in the evening, and Godou will probably have finished dinner by then.

No, today an investigative method like that is impossible, at least for Shizuka. She has responsibilities to take care of, and she cannot waste too much time here. Now Sakura and Fuyuhime on the other hand…

"All right, can you two figure out the location this evening?" Those two can probably handle this extra amount of work.

Sakura takes on the task without problems, easily willing to help family and friends. Fuyuhime grunts a bit that her work load has increased, but accepts the task too.

"Then shall we go back and see if there are any other weird things going on in the city?"

"You mean other than Godou's abnormality, Shizuka-chan?"

Shizuka nods, so the witches do as their king tells. The walk around for a bit, exploring the neighborhood to see if there is nothing else abnormal. They keep walking, but the situation is entirely normal. The humans continue their daily lives as usual, no building or other weird thing is destroyed or altered, nothing. Were it not for Godou then Shizuka would call this situation perfectly normal.

"What kind of god would just try to alter the live of a single normal human?" Shizuka doesn't understand it anymore. There is literally no reason Shizuka can come up with that makes sense.

"Uhm… perhaps we're looking at it wrong…" Sakura is deep in thought, but may have found another solution. "you keep saying something is wrong with Godou-kun, but what if it's not? What if the one who has been affected… is you, Shizuka-chan?"

The solution of Sakura sounds completely alien in Shizuka's eyes. How is she the one affected? She is the only one perfectly normal! That idea, no, Shizuka rejects that possibility with all her mind.

"Not possible." Absolutely unacceptable. To call herself the only abnormality, Shizuka will not stand for that!

"B-But that would explain a lot: Godou-kun wasn't the target, but you were. And didn't you say your greatest fear is that he turns out like grandpa? If it was an authority of fear, then this would be explainable."

"No. I am certain that my memories are correct. There's nothing to say that you are correct, and there are too many holes in your story!" Shizuka starts to get cranky, doing everything to stop hearing that awful possibility. She doesn't even know why it's so awful, it simply rubs her the wrong way.

Sakura continues to argue with her niece, though her responses get meeker over time.

After some squabbling Fuyuhime goes and stops this before it leads to a fight: "Enough!" With force she lets this word of anger out, disliking the tunnel vision both Shizuka and Sakura have for their conclusion. This gets a few stares from the surrounding people, so Fuyuhime quickly rectifies her voice before she continues talking.

"Look, I know an easy way to figure this out: there's a contact of mine who can determine whose memories have been altered. The problem is that she lives two hours away from Tokyo, so we cannot visit her right now. Let's just quit for today and meet again tomorrow."

A decent solution, Shizuka likes it. Hard evidence instead of a circumstantial one. The trio agree that this is the best course of action. The group splits, with Sakura and Fuyuhime returning to their dorms while Shizuka returns home, waiting for what Godou is preparing for dinner.

-x-

 _Seventeenth of December, midday, Nikko Toshugu{1}._

Because today is a Saturday Shizuka only had half a day of school, meaning that she finished at half past eleven. As a result she is able to get to the location she talked about yesterday at only two in the midday. It was a two hour drive by car, which was necessary because there are no trains running to that location. It's a good thing that Sakura has obtained a driving license, or else it would a lot harder to communicate with this contact.

The trio now stand in front of the most famous shrine of the Nikko region, Nikko Toshugu. Once one of the most famous shrines dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, due to an incident there are mayor renovations going on pretty much everywhere. According to Shizuka's most senior witch this was because of the descend of Sun Wukong, causing a large amount of mayhem.

Even with all the destruction the site still attracts a lot of tourists, or perhaps it's because of the destruction and renovation that it attracts people. There are a lot of people, and while Shizuka seems to be okay with any of these being the one they are looking for Fuyuhime says that this is not the place where they can meet their contact. Instead they exit the shrine along one of the smaller paths, a mountainous path in the wilderness that seems to end in nowhere. Just as Shizuka starts to doubt that there is nothing here another shrine appears in sight, this one much smaller than the world famous monument.

It's a simple traditional shrine, though it doesn't seem to have any visitors. The trio walk through the torri{2} at the entrance of the shrine and arrive on the main grounds. A few of the personnel can be seen, probably those that work at the main shrine but are aware enough of the world of magic to be allowed at the actually functional shrine located here.

Shizuka looks over at them all, but whenever one of the mages looks at her they quickly bow and disappear from her sight. Most likely none of them are the contact Fuyuhime talked about, so where could that person be?

"So Fuyuhime, which one of these are you looking for?"

Fuyuhime points towards the main building, where one of the doors slides open. Out comes a girl slightly below Shizuka's age. She looks like a proper girl, with her blackish-brown hair cut slightly above shoulder length and the orderly way she wears her basic red and white miko outfit. Without fear she walks towards the Campione, being the only one deviating from the average behavior of awe and fear.

So that should be the contact then. Shizuka didn't expect someone so young, but she of all people shouldn't be talking about young age.

"Renjou-neesama!" The girl shouts out happily, hurriedly walking towards the group. "It's been quite a long time since I saw you. It has to have been at least a year since we last saw each other."

"Yes, back then you weren't even working here. Though, are you still necessary now that the great sage equaling heaven has been slain?" Great sage? Shizuka has not heard of anyone named like that, though it's probably the title of Sun Wukong, given by earlier info Fuyuhime talked about.

"Well that true, yes, but the foundations of the seal are still in place. If we ever need to use it again my help is necessary… though I do have a lot more freedom now that there's nothing to guard."

"And you probably don't need to. Remember what I said about Japan having two lords?"

"Ah, so that's true! Then I guess that she is the eighth king then, right?" The girl points to Shizuka, correctly guessing her identity. Fuyuhime nods, so the girl politely bows before Shizuka.

"It is an honor to meet you, Campione-sama. Now is there anything I can help you with?" With a polite smile she looks at Shizuka, her childish purity brimming off her face.

Shizuka cannot help but act nicely towards this girl, even though the difference in age is not much. "Nice to meet you. My name is Kusanagi Shizuka. As you guessed, I managed to slay a god and become a Campione."

"Kusanagi? Are you connected to Kusanagi Godou-oniisama?"

What did this girl just say? How does she know Godou? More importantly, why does she call him onii-sama? It can't be, did her father actually birth an illegal child? Was his money-focused attitude a façade to hide his true nature?

"Yes, he is my brother. But why are you calling him with that suffix? Is this just a form of respect to him or do I need to heavily scold my father?"

The girl looks a bit shocked at this sentence, but quickly tells Shizuka how it is: "I'm sorry, I didn't explain it well. I call Godou onii-sama not because of blood, but because he is taking Yuri-oneesama as his wife."

Yuri as his wife? "You're family of Mariya-senpai?" That wasn't expected. What is family of Mariya doing here, so far away from Tokyo?

"Correct. My name is Mariya Hikari, Mariya Yuri's younger sister."

"But why are you living so far away from your sister?"

"Because I'm a hime-miko capable of a rare type of magic the committee stationed me here. Now that the seal is vacant I can go a lot more often back home, but Nikkou is where I live and go to school now."

Oh. In other words, it's like moving away for the sake of your job. It's something Shizuka has seen her parents do quite often, which resulted in them never being home and barely playing a part in the lives of their children. Shizuka almost feels sad for Hikari…

Hang on… "If you're a hime-miko, then does that mean that your sister…"

"Yep, Yuri-oneesama is also a hime-miko." Naturally, of course she is! To think that the person she used to respect a lot is actually part of the association. Hmm… perhaps she needs to get Mariya-senpai to help her in case of supernatural events? It would be helpful to have a close associate inside of school instead of just a few friends from university…

Now that Shzuka has cleared her head from the shock of Mariya's state there is a contradiction she notices. "By the way, Hikari-san, what was that you said about Mariy…Yuri-senpai being Godou's wife?"

"The two are clearly in love, and certainly they will make love and marry in the future. Yuri-oneesama will become the perfect wife for him."

Well, this proves a lot. "Seems that I was right all along."

Fuyuhime and Sakura both agree with this statement, while Hikari looks a bit puzzled. Shizuka starts to enlighten her senpai's younger sister about what exactly is going on back in Tokyo:

"Now for why we are here, Hikari-san: Back in Tokyo every suddenly seems to think that Godou is not popular with girls, except for me. Now we came here because Fuyuhime said that you could help determine whose minds have been changed." Though that's a bit unnecessary now, it's clearly Fuyuhime and Sakura's minds who have been messed with.

"Oh, you mean that I need to use [Disaster purification]?" Shizuka doesn't understand what that is, so it gets explained: It's the ability to negate or dispel continuous magic, and even temporarily weaken authorities. Basically, it's anti-magic.

Shizuka asks Hikari to use it on her followers, and the young hime-miko complies. She places her hands on their heads for a few seconds, and then she removes them again.

"That's it?" It's a surprisingly simple procedure, especially compared to a lot of the magic Shizuka knows.

"Ah yes, that's it. It's not a very flashy ability, but whatever I touch directly will have any magic cast on them nullified." How very convenient.

Fuyuhime grabs her head, seemingly being a bit in pain. "Ugh… yes, you were right Shizuka. It seems that my memories were manipulated." Sakura also seems to remember a few things differently, though she was more surprised that Godou successfully managed to hook a lady.

Best not to tell her that Godou's currently at 4… or more, Shizuka's isn't counting.

Shizuka turns to HIkari, thanking her for helping them solve this case.

"Oh, don't worry about it. It's the least I could do for my future sister-in-law!" Hikari smiles brightly, liking to get praised for things she did well.

"Yes…" Shizuka doesn't mind that Hikari seems this set on this marriage, though at least she hopes that Godou can then keep it at just her senpai. "So what do we do now? Fuyuhime, Sakura-chan, did you get any results from what I asked you to do?"

Sakura nods, telling about what exactly the test with the map and the plush toy led to: "There's one area where there was a high concentration of energy, and that was I-"

A loud ringing noise interrupts Sakura's speech, and Fuyuhime picks up her phone. Seems that someone is calling her.

"Hello, with Fuyuhime… what are you saying? Incident back in Tokyo? Okay, we're coming." Fuyuhime hangs up, looking with concern at the three others. "Hikari-chan, I'm afraid we'll have to leave right now. There's been another supernatural event.

Quickly the trio drives back to Tokyo, hoping to catch the culprit in their tracks. Most likely this supernatural event is linked to the one trey tried to solve earlier, so if they can figure out the truth now they can close this case once and for all.

As far as the knowledge of the committee goes what happened this time is that every single Santa Claus figure in the area lost their color. The jolly old man in red and white turned completely grey wherever you looked.

A quarter on the way the first reports came in: There was a sighting of a supernatural being. While clearly being something that is not human, it was not a god.

"So what is left then?" Shizuka starts to ask, trying to process this new information. All she had to deal with so far were humans and gods, with nothing in between. This is completely new for here. "Is this a divine beast or so?"

"No, it's too intelligent to be a lesser divine beast, and it lack the presence of a greater divine beast. From what I've heard it's most likely something like a fairy."

"A fairy." Shizuka almost speaks with disbelief. Fairies exist? Sure, gods exist, but that made some sense if you take the realm of immortality into account. But fairies? "So we're dealing with a winged humanoid a few inches tall and with tiny butterfly wings that can alter the memories of an entire city? What a fearsome enemy to deal with."

"That's a fae you're talking about." Fuyuhime corrects Shizuka with slight annoyance, disliking Shizuka's sarcastic comment. "Fairies is a term for everything humanoid but not human nor divine. The aforementioned fae belong to this category, and so do gnomes, elves, ascended humans, and more."

"Oh." Case clear. "What did this fairy look like, according to the sighting?"

"Humanoid, but completely grey. He was covered entirely in sailcloth, and only the hands and legs stick out from it."

It's not much to base conclusions on, but at least there's not much looking like it. It's useful information for when they arrive.

Another half an hour later and Shizuka remembers something important, something she completely forgot to ask earlier: Mariya Yuri is a hime-miko, part of the world of magic. Where does that put Godou? Is he aware of magic too? Could he perhaps have learned magecraft from Mariya?

Quickly she opens up with her concerns about this situation, but Fuyuhime defuses this problem just as fast:

"He's not the first one in your family who had a relationship with a mage, Shizuka-san. Remember when you invited Sakura and me for dinner closely after you made me a witch?"

"Yes, I do. Wait…" Shizuka makes the connection, realizing what exactly the witch is referring to. "Gramps did the same too?"

"Yes, with my mother." Now that creates an image Fuyuhime would rather wipe from her head. "In the end Ichirou didn't become a mage, nor aware of the world of magecraft. I think you worry too much."

A white lie, perhaps, but Fuyuhime finds it necessary. Though it is inevitable that these two Japanese kings will find out each other's identity sooner than later every day that they stay unaware of each other is another victory for Fuyuhime. The saying goes, when two kings meet only disaster follows, even if they are family.

Halfway there another phone call comes in with more news: Kusanagi Godou is also chasing after this mysterious being. If his group takes too long at succeeding then the dreaded meeting will happen, which would be quite bad. Fuyuhime transmits the message to the other two, though she keeps using the fake name of Kusasagi Goroh when talking about the seventh king.

The next thirty minutes are nerve-wracking for Fuyuhime, as she hopes that everything will turn out all right. Godou should be able to beat the enemy in this time?

The trio enter the outskirts of Tokyo, still twenty minutes away from the location they need to be. At this moment another call comes in, telling fantastic news: The mystical creature is dead. Godou has returned back towards home, and there is only some surveillance from the committee left. Nobody Shizuka knows should be there.

With a feeling of relief this is passed on to the other two, causing Sakura to drive a bit less hasty.

Eventually they reach the location of demise: Odaiba, an artificial island inside of Tokyo bay. One of the parks close to the seashore has been closed off by police, on accounts of a "murder". It's actually quite the apt description, though it's a bit more magical in nature.

A Campione and followers easily gets let through, if only because resistance is futile. The trio arrive at the seashore, where a bunch of mages are examining the area. There on the beach lies a grey man, wrapped in sailcloth and with his head decapitated.

Like a police detective Shizuka goes around and ask questions. A few mages still wonder who she is, though there are a few from back at the duel with Doni who recognize her and warn the others. With the proper respect Shizuka gets told what she needs to know:

The divine being has been classified as a fairy, most likely a spirit connected with nature and trees. Due to the seventh king (whose name was kept hidden due to a few helpful nudges from the higher-ups) the fairy was forced to kill itself or be killed, and it chose the former. It beheaded itself and dropped down dead. While the greyed Santa's have not changed back to red there are also no new sightings, meaning that it might actually be over.

That would be nice for Shizuka. No more searching and solving, and being done with this all without a fight. However, there's one thing that still needs to be done: Shizuka flips out a cell phone, calling her brother on the phone:

"Hello, With Godou?"

"Good evening Onii-chan, how's dinner going?" Start with a simple question that can lead to the subject, Shizuka would here prefer to go a bit around the bush.

"I'm just starting. There's tataki{3} on the menu for tonight, do you prefer it cooked or uncooked?"

"I think that it would taste better lightly seared. Are you planning on inviting any of the girls over?"

"G-Girls? What are you talking about, the only one who might be willing to join us is Asuka, if she doesn't eat together with her family."

Yes! Godou is still reformed! He hasn't regressed back with the death of the fairy! "Oh yes, my bad. I wasn't focusing, I meant to talk about your friends from baseball, but I got it confused with my own friends."

"Ah I see. No, we're eating with just the two of us. When will you come home?"

Shizuka and Godou continue talking for a while, and eventually Shizuka hangs up, a massive smile on her face. This is the best give she has ever gotten, and it isn't even Christmas yet!

"So Shizuka-chan, what do we do now?" Sakura starts to ask about the future, now that this case seems solved. In fact, if you ask Shizuka then it has been solved:

"We do nothing. The case is cleared, so there's no problem left." Spoken like the hasty cop who is always wrong in police crime series, Shizuka is not planning to waste more time on this case. "You two can do what you want. Now that I've no problems left, I'm going to take up my father's offer!"

-x-

 _Eighteenth of December, Germany:_

What is the last place one would expect two gods to be? Well, there are a lot of places you don't expect gods: Dumpsters, factories, inside air planes, the list goes on. One of the places on that list can be removed, as two gods are currently there:

Who would expect a goddess and a divine spirit to hang out together at a board game convention? Here in Germany the world's largest convention of eurogames{4} is held, attracting tons of visitors from all over Europe and even beyond!

Sitting in the testing area of the upcoming new games is Blanchefleur, still possessing the body of the human, together with another goddess, discussing card games.

While the human whose body Blanchefleur is still possessing is not ugly by any means, it pales in comparison to the goddess: a woman who looks to be in her late teens, perhaps early adolescence, with a slender body of average height.

Surprisingly her looks feel quite a bit more human, as there is nothing about her that truly stands out. Her shoulder-length wavy violet hair seems like something you expect on a human, something that your neighbor might have too. So too for her clothes, a green dress along with some golden accessories, it doesn't seem unnatural or abnormal at all. However, the gentleness of it all is where this goddess shines, as because she has no outstanding parts every part of her body is equally beautiful, creating a serene tranquility.

Normally quite the large amount of people would stare at these two beauties, perhaps the divine duo would even get interrupted by males who try to get lucky. Blanchefleur is quite happy that she used magic to prevent these puny mortals from noticing the duo, though for an entirely different reason.

"Why are we doing this again?" Blanchefleur exasperates, considering the current situation to be dumb.

"Thy refusal of the noble game of chess is cause for one's newest choice of battle."

"Well of course I'm not picking a fight on unequal terrain. What I mean is, why are we settling something as important as a lasting alliance on the outcome of a game of these human's creation?!"

"Dost thou not understand joy, Blanchefleur?" With gleaming eyes she starts to give a heartfelt speech about the joys of boardgames, rolling dices and making strategic decisions to obtain victory, of scenarios made by humanity's wild imagination, now vividly expressed on a single table. How could anyone not see happiness in it?

Blanchefleur's opinion is a bit more… reserved, especially her opinion of this goddess:

She's a giant nerd!

As much as Blanchefleur would prefer to walk around this goddess in a wide circle she cannot do that. Blanchefleur's own powers become more prominent the more allies she has, so she would prefer for this goddess to join her side, even if she is rather… quirky. "Fine, let's play this game of yours. If I win this game of yours, you'll join me to eradicate all devil kings on earth."

"And for thy loss thou willst uphold ye bargain. Thou becomest part of one's tabletop group, and together Dungeons and Dragons will be played!"

Blanchefleur really doesn't want to lose. Not only would that mean that she will not get this goddess as her ally, she will be forced to play these dumb human trifles with, heavens forbid, humans. That might actually be as humiliating as getting turned into a divine ancestor. How the hell is that goddess, someone who would enjoys that, created?

As a bit of fair play Blanchefleur is allowed to choose which game they will play, and she is aware that horrible things will happen if she chooses poorly. But what does she choose? If she would pick one randomly there's a large chance that she will get wrecked.

"Well then, how about a game in which I get to trounce a Greek goddess like you?" Blanchefleur says sarcastically, clearly intended as a jab to her fellow divine being.

That divine being on the other hand looks puzzled, before giving a naughty smirk. She looks as if she clearly knows a solution to this problem.

Blanchefleur sees what is happening here: "There is actually a game in which I have to fight Greek goddesses, isn't there?" Oh curse her big mouth!

"One were not aware thou likest Kanzume Goddess{5}? One knowest better games of cards, but thy choice hereby is made. Also, one is Thracian from origin, not Grecian. Thy mistake hereby stands corrected." While Blanchefleur's friend speaks in a powerful and charismatic voice her wide grin tells more than enough that someone is really enjoying this slip-up.

With annoyance the choice of game is accepted, so the purple-haired goddess walks to the respective stand and talks the humans standing there out of a copy of the game.

The goddess goes back to the table, where she starts with preparing the table for the game. Blanchefleur tries to help, but she's quite inexperienced compared to the goddess. Because Blanchefleur wanted to kick Greek ass she gets the Norse cards, while her opponent plays as the Greek people. Though… is there actually a noticeable difference between these two?

Blanchefleur starts, but she still doesn't quite understand the rules. She completes her turn to the best of her ability before letting the goddess have her turn.

"First, one draws! Using harvest goddess Ceres powers, this goddess usest Pastoral Wind. Discarding energy, one is allowed to draw two cards, and thou arst allowed one card also. Then one uses Golden Touch, discarding another energy to turn two warriors into bishops, granting this one four parts of faith. Along with two other disciples an improvement to eighth is made, thus one can buy warriors Aries and Leo!"

Okay, Blanchefleur is confused. This game is stupidly hard to understand for a new player like herself.

"Next one uses the last three warriors of one's hand to attack thee, for 5 damage! Thou may playest any reaction defense card thou posessest!"

"Oh can you stop talking like that? It's one thing if people speak in ancient tongues, but it's another if someone shamelessly copies it badly." Worst of all it makes understanding what exactly happened in the game much harder. Blanchefleur plays the only card she can play from her hand, reducing damage by two, though she still doesn't quite understand how useful this tactic was.

"Hahaha, it's that bad?" Suddenly the other goddess stops speaking archaic, now speaking in a modern language. "Hah, I was hoping it would make me sound a bit more grand, more, you know, powerful."

"Perhaps if you did it right, but now it's just annoying." Seeing the way her potential ally talks allows Blanchefleur to add in another small insult. "Though you're right that you need it. After all, what are you? There are mighty gods of the sun, goddesses of earth, heroes of steel, even I have a title of goddess of prosperity. But you? You're literally the goddess of nerds!"

The goddess laughs this off, claiming that that title would actually be an improvement of her current domain. "Right now all I got is a single game."

"Yes, it's a rather pathetic existence of yours. I mean, you're the only goddess who has been repeatedly ignored by godslayers."

"Not that surprising. Sun gods cause droughts, gods of steel create war, marine gods cause floods… but me? All my presence does is make people more interested in board games. They probably didn't even notice that I descended." Was Blanchefleur not in need of help she would've probably laughed in the face of this other goddess, insults be damned. How could a god be this pathetic? "Oh well, at least I'm not the worst deity, because I'm not Sterquilinus{6}!" Both goddesses laugh at this, agreeing that that god has the most laughable title of all.

They continue their card game, but after ten or so turns it quickly becomes clear that Blanchefleur is on the losing side. As it stands now she might actually have to do that terrible game with humans! Perhaps she can bribe her way out.

"Say, don't you have any other goals? Anything you want to become more powerful or respected? I could help with that."

The purple-haired goddess thinks, and quickly comes to an conclusion: "Actually, there is one thing. You were right, perhaps my title is a bit shallow. Instead of being goddess of a single game, I want to become the queen of games! Card, digital or board; everything shall fall within my grasp!"

The goddess lets out a wicked laugh, but it can't convince Blanchefleur to think of those goals as anything but petty. "So how are you planning to do this?"

"First, I'll summon the current king of games, some nameless Egyptian pharaoh that was deified. An then I will take that title by beating him in a children's card game!"

…

"That has to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard." Blanchefleur is not impressed at all, so she simply continues the game. Her opponent tries her best to make her idea seem viable.

"True, it was quite stupid. The first time I tried to do that I lost, but this time I have a secret weapon to help me obtain victory: This time my plan involves motorcycles!"

Okay, that might actually be even stupider than the first idea. This goddess is absolutely crazy! Why did Blanchefleur have to cross this goddess of all people? Wasn't there anyone else available?

Blanchfleur has to focus on the game again as she sees her opponent perform a combo that destroys half of Blanchefleur's energy. If this continues she's done for in just one more turn!

The situation starts to look hopeless for Blanchefleur. Her tactics have been completely dwarfed by this strategy master. Where did she go wrong?

"Is there any way for me to win this?" Half desperate, half wanting it to end this humiliation she asks her opponent about the situation. The goddess of gaming answers this question honestly, having already seen what the conclusion will be:

"You must draw five specific cards of which all exists only one card in your entire deck to be able to win this game. The only way you can get that result is if you had all the luck in the world on your side."

All the luck in the world, huh? Well, isn't that a marvelous idea? Of course, normally they wouldn't help, but if it would grant them the defeat of all those devil kings, perhaps these gods might throw a few scraps around:

"Both love and luck help the bold! Hear my plea: for the sake of exterminating all devils in the world, I seek aid! Fortuna and Bes! Lakshmi and Nortia! Kairos and Ekeko! Oh seven gods of luck! Grant upon me the hearts of the cards, for just righteousness!"

 _5 drawn cards later:_

"I hate you. I hate you and your cheating tactics." Yeah, someone is not happy with this end result.

"But I won, and you lost." And that's all that matters to Blanchefleur. Who knew that by getting all gods of fortune and luck on your side you would actually snatch victory away from the one who should win? Is this how godslayers feel when they killed a god for the first time?

There is also someone severely opposed to this result: "You won by cheating! You're a dirty coward!"

"So? Does that mean you're going to take back what you said? Will you forever be known as an oathbreaker, a rabid dog who cannot do as she says?" Blanchefleur is almost taunting her new ally, knowing that there is a level of divine pride that will make sure she won't go back on her word. Even so, it can't hurt to decrease those odds of rebellion a bit more: "Besides, where in those rules of yours is it written that I cannot pray to the gods for victory?"

Blanchefleur has a point here. As much as the loser of this match wants to shove this defeat on others, there's nothing that has been truly cheating. In the end what defeated her was pure stupid luck.

"Tsk. Fine then. Let me swear this oath here: Upon my name of Caissa, goddess of chess, I swear to help you create a world without Campione."

Blanchefleur nods, happy with this development. With this she has managed to get at least two gods behind her cause. Now, if only she can resurrect her beloved Percival, then victory will follow close by…

"By the way…" Caissa has one final thing to say: "Can you really not help me resurrect that Egyptian pharaoh?"

"Not a chance, Caissa, not a chance."

-x-

 _Nineteenth of December, the time differentiating due to time zones._

When Shizuka decided to take up her father's offer Godou surprisingly wasn't against it. Sure, she's missing a week of school, and no matter how trivial and insignificant that week is a normal human being should not be allowed to do that. Godou would normally object to such a decision before letting Shizuka go, but this time he seemed almost glad that Shizuka left home.

Now why would he think like that? It can't be, he's inviting his girls ove-?

The moment Shizuka think of that possibility she has to remind herself that times have changed. Godou is no longer a sexual deviant, so there's no need to worry about a thing like that. At worst he might organize a party for his friends, perfectly acceptable behavior so long as he cleans up after himself.

Shizuka is now inside of an airplane, flying towards the warmth of the Caribean. To be more precise, her father has booked a hotel in Saint Lucia, one of the island nations located there. With a population of an average city, and a size three to four times smaller than Tokyo, it's a cozy little island with a surprising amount of people in it.

But the best part? Tropical weather that is warm but never too warm, and right now it's in the middle of the dry season, meaning that there is no rain creating any moody days. No, it's just three weeks of relaxation, with no school, no gods, and best of all no Godou.

So what will she do when she arrives there? She did buy a tourist book to get a bit of an impression, and so far there are a few things she's certain that will happen if she is together with father:

Other than tanning at the beach and enjoying the sun there will be a trips to the sulfur volcano, the botanical garden, deep sea fishing and snorkeling, or visiting the cities.

Yeah, this is going to be fun.

She also brought a single magic book with her. It's not one that useful for learning new spells, but this is a compilation of Japanese history (no pun intended) that reads more like a good book. This one too was a gift from Niseko, though she never got to reading it. For now that book of intricate knowledge is just a way to pass some time on this flight. And it's needed, because this is one long flight. It takes sixteen hours to get there, and the only stop on the way is in Honolulu.

While the first half of the flight can be spend sleeping, the second eight hours need to be filled with some form of activity to counter boredom. What better than a good book to keep yourself interested?

There are quite a few interesting stories here, all about how the people in the past dealt with the gods around them. It's especially surprising when you realize that they had to do it without any godslayer. Japan has had a grand total of two godslayers ruling over their lands in all its history, and these two were both born this year.

There was a lot of trickery used to keep these gods out of their lands before they had their own king.. The solutions vary quite a bit: some of the easier ones are hiring another king to deal with the problem, usually the one from China. In recent history that would be the second king, a person named Luo Hao. But before there was "The ruler of the martial realm" there was one named "The dragon lord of chaos", and before that the "He who unifies heaven and earth", and before that was the "Divine blade of thousand deaths".

…really, these Chinese do have a penchant for give people overly long titles. Either way, there were also other solutions made in case there was no godslayer available. She's been to one of these places already, the now vacant seal which once held the dragon-slaying monkey king, Sun Wukong. This seal was made by a large number of mages, a group of beings belong not in the mortal nor in the divine realm and the legendary god Erlang, and the great sage equaling heaven still managed to decimated those opposing him before he was successfully sealed away. Forced into obedience he was only called out when a goddess of earth appeared, and then forcefully sucked back into the seal after his job was done. According to Fuyuhime, it took the combined effort of three Campione to finally slay this monstrous deity once and for all.

Another solution was the symbiotic relationship with gods the people of Japan had. Sometimes a god was allowed to rage in all of his heretic glory, letting him overcome his own nature with time. When he finally understood that what he was doing was harmful to his own believers he would stop, and instead of disappearing he would retire, become a god residing in the world between life and death, the netherworld, usually willing to help out his nation in the case a god descends on earth. As far as this list goes there is just a handful on gods willing to help out in case Japan ever comes without a godslayer: Susanoo, Hachiman, Konohanasakuya-hime, Fukurokuju and Aizen Myo-o; There are even a few foreign gods willing to help like lord Erlang, Adi Parashakti and Jarylo. Well, not even half of them still exist, either slain in battle or forcefully met their end by a foreign godslayer. One god even got involved in the great godslayer massacre of five hundred years ago involving some god called the strongest steel.

Right now only three or so still exist, and they can rest on their laurels now that there are kings defending their nation.

Considering that Shizuka is one of their kings she would say that Japan has it rather easy. Unlike Alec's tendency to steal things and Doni's tendency to… well, be Doni, what did she do? Except for that one time in Niseko where she ordered the mages around (a justified emergency) she just fought Guinevere, Karna and a moron. Nothing truly abnormal or frightening, and she hopes to keep it that way.

As Shizuka keeps enjoying herself with books and other kinds of pastime she eventually notices that the seatbelt light is blinking. In other words the plane is descending… and looking outside she sees an island clearly belonging to the Caribbean. In other words, the flight is finally over!

When the plane lands Shizuka steps out into the warm sun, quite different from Tokyo's cold weather. After going through the passport encounter, baggage claim and customs she arrives in the arrival lobby, quickly noticing the only familiar face around:

"Dad!" With excitement she doesn't usually show she walks towards her father, Kusanagi Genzou. As calm and mature she can be when faced with normal life Shizuka shows large emotions in uncommon situations. Irritation when dealing with some absurd situation she truly dislikes, or in this case happiness when meeting her parents when they are around.

But those extreme emotions are dampened by her mother's side, because her dad is even worse: "Shizuka-chan!" He run towards Shizuka, lifting her from the floor and giving her a warm embrace. This type of hugging would be rather embarrassing back in Japan, but considering how Genzou is never there and the fact that they are literally on the other side of the world means that doing this is no problem at all for the two of them.

Kusanagi Genzou. Son of Kusanagi Ichirou, and father of both Shizuka and Godou. In looks he's… okay, so to say. Above average in looks and on the tall side, but not particularly special. However, he too has the same skill as the other males in the family, an extrovert personality and will that makes him popular in social life. Unlike those still living in Japan he is not interested in wooing hundreds of women, instead having made the rational choice to invest these talents into his company, making him a rather successful businessman. Perhaps that's why Shizuka likes him so much, he's actually the most rational member of the family after Shizuka.

After the hug ends Genzou looks around, asking the important question: "Say, my son isn't here too, is he?"

"Of course not, I left onii-chan back home. He didn't want to come either way, so that was simple." Unlike Shizuka the relationship between father and son is… difficult. For some reason they rub each other the wrong way, calling each other a worthless human being whenever possible. Shizuka doesn't understand why, but she doesn't consider it worth her time to try and solve it.

"That's good, then we can spend our time together like father and daughter! Let's get your stuff to the car, and start our holidays together!" Taking most of the heavy stuff Genzou leads her daughter to outside the airport. There, on this beautiful island, only one thing should be said:

Let the vacation begin!

-x-

 _Lost track of time. Lost track of day. Jalousie Beach:_

The beaches are one of the main tourism points for St. Lucia, and Shizuka too is enjoying her time as a tourist. She has been here a few days now, completely forgotten the track of time. Dressed in a purple bikini she is currently sunbathing on a beach chair at Jalousie beach, alongside her father.

Ah, truly, this is bliss! The only two companions Shizuka has here are the sun and the sea. Well, okay, there is her father and other tourists, but they do not disturb Shizuka. All business at home is solved, and even Godou has been completely reformed by some sort of divine power.

In other words, there is finally some time to purely relax. No supernatural events, no natural events, just a lot of free time. All she has to do is rest, get a nice tan an-hang on, what is happening there?

A group of men all of strong build with beards covering their lower faces, and only pants as their clothes, are carrying a red carpet with them, rolling it out over the beach until it sticks a little bit out into the sea.

A few people are watching this all with piqued interest, but it's nothing abnormal. Saint Lucia belongs to the commonwealth, so for which eccentric important human other than England's queen Elizabeth could they roll out something like that? Perhaps a rich man staying here with too much money on his hands?

Well, not that it interests Shizuka that much. Something like this she doesn't need to get involved with.

Suddenly she hears a sound akin to someone tapping on a microphone. Looking up she sees the cause of the sound, but not in a way she would like it.

Standing there is something of a clearly non-human nature. While the upper torso is still completely human the lower half is more akin to a goat, and much to Shizuka's disgust that beasts erect private parts are not that hidden by the black speedo. Looking around her she sees a lot more of these beasts, there have to be at least fifty of them. Some were hidden, while others shapeshifted out of human disguises, which include those who carried the carpet.

Ugh, goodbye peaceful free time. Those gods just have to ruin everything, don't they.

"Test 1 2 3, hello hello? Right, the microphone seems to be working." The half-human hybrid that wields the microphone stands on a small step-ladder, making his body stick out easily among the other humans and beasts. "Welcome, ladies and gentleman of the public!" Enthusiastically he greets everyone who is around, as if wanting them all to listen. Looking around Shizuka guesses that everyone actually is doing so, considering that even her father is listening with both ears.

However, behind this hybrid another comes out, but this one has a shaved beard and is strangely enough dressed in a pink dress, and a pink bow on his head… even though the quite visible private organs prove it's a male, as far as gender goes for these things.

This one whispers a few words in the ear of the announcer, altering the next lines spoken by that hybrid: "We also bid a warm welcome to everyone who does not feel comfortable to be classified as male or female, but considers themselves to be a third group or something else. In other words, we welcome everyone!"

The hybrid in pink looks satisfied, and steps down from the ladder. The announcer continues with the speech he is giving for this public that combines natural and supernatural elements: "Now, clap and applaud, cheer happily and loudly for the greatest, most amazing, crazily awesome god in existence!"

Urgh, not again! Not another god!

"Indeed! It is him! The great ruler, the tree lord, the prevailor, the liberator, the giver of unlimited wine! Give your loudest applause and cheers for the one and only Bacchus!"

The beasts start clapping, and quite a few of the humans get so caught in the flow they join the clapping.

With loud thundering noise a chariot descends from the heavens… well actually, it's better to say chariots… no, what is with that ridiculously dumb contraption?

On top is a handsome blonde man, clad in nothing but a pair of leopard-dotted trunks, riding a large brown horse. That horse is standing on a chariot pulled by two cheetahs, which is standing on a larger chariot pulled by three tigers, which is standing on an even larger chariot pulled by four panthers which is standing on the final and biggest chariot, which is drawn by five lions. All in all it is a pretty dumb design, though the humans around don't seem to think that absurdity a laughing matter.

"Humans!" The blonde god shouts at the top of his lungs, "Be amazed, for I, Bacchus, have traveled wide and far to descend in this place! Now let us hear praise for the greatest god of all, namely, me!" Bacchus throws his hands up in a victory pose, closing his eyes as he listens to the shouts of cheer from both his magical underlings and the humans who were visiting this place.

Everyone cheers for the great Roman god. Well, not entirely… one young girl of indomitable will still holds out against this god. A Campione like her is not quite that impressed with the descend of deities, even if it has been less than two months since the first time she met those supernatural beings.

Bacchus suddenly turns irritated. He can notice a small disturbance, and he does not like that. "So there is someone not giving me the praise the great me deserves…" He opens his eyes, and looks Shizuka straight in the eye. The humans stop clapping, and look along with the great god whose very presence commands them. Even Genzou looks with glazed eyes at Shizuka, clearly already influenced by this god's power. "A magus? No, we both know that's wrong. This exhilarating feeling, this energy pumped straight into my body, There's only one type of enemy who grants me such a pleasure. Nice to meet you, slayer of my kin!"

"Enemy" and "slayer of kin". Not the kind of words that improve a first meeting. Ugh, before Shizuka knows it she will be forced into another fight.

"Yes, nice to meet you too, although I would've preferred it if I could spend some time in peace. So Bacchus, why exactly are you here?"

As far as Shizuka knows from the books she read gods only appear in parts of the world they held some domain. An Egyptian god would only manifest in Egypt or around the Nile, while someone like Amaterasu would originate in the lands of Japan only. The reason that the goddess Nu Wa could appear in Japan, according to Fuyuhime, is that that island nation used to be part of China a long time ago, and was thus also ruled over by that mother earth goddess. However, the Caribbean and Italy and thousands of miles apart, and Shizuka doesn't even need to look up that this place is not one of Bacchus' domains.

"Hey, I made a pretty arduous journey over the ocean, all to fulfill my dream. I've outdone the fallen hero Ulysses{7} with this voyage, and I only took a week! So much for those old legacies!" Bacchus starts to talk about stuff Shizuka doesn't care about, so she has to pull the conversation back on track:

"What I mean to ask is what you're exactly planning to do. What are your goals?" Shizuka can accept and allow quite a bit, so as long as it doesn't inconvenience others Shizuka can let Bacchus go his way.

"Oh, you mean like that? Of course, it's to outdo the greatest person on earth: Myself!" It finally dawns on Shizuka just how much of a narcissist Bacchus is. This is really a divine level of narcissism. If a human had this then he could probably become a devil king purely by his self-love alone. "I manifested some decennia ago, without any clue of what to do. But then there was a mayor opportunity, a way to leave a permanent mark on human history! What I did altered the lives of millions of humans forever!"

Shizuka gulps at that. What kind of gruesome, horrific thing did he do? A giant massacre? Destruction of vast plots of lands? Something worse?

"And thus… I made the ultimate movie!" How terribl-wait, what? A movie? Bacchus recognizes Shizuka's disbelief, so he quickly explains why he did that: "Do you not see these feats humanity made? Audio plays, films, literature, the internet! These are all amazing! The popularity of stiff and traditional plays is lower than ever before, and all these cool new forms of entertainment have appeared! How could the great me not want to leave my own mark on this part of history?"

"O…kay, I believe you." If all he wants to do is make a movie, than Shizuka has no objections. Just let her enjoy her vacation and she might even give him the directions to Hollywood. "So with what movie are you associated?"

"Poor godslayer, did you live under a rock? Is there not only one famous movie of that age people will quote even today? The story of the strongest steel obtaining the holy grail, do you truly not know of it?"

…

"Really? That Monty Python movie?" Ugh, of course Bacchus gets associated with the informal comedies. And here Shizuka thought it might've been an actual masterpiece.

"Of course it is that one! Together with another of your kin, my buddy Graham, we made the ultimate comedy. But this time, I will create a show that is not just comedy: Comedy and tragedy, action and drama, a horror, an epic! I will create the ultimate movie, unsurpassed for eternity!"

A hard challenge, but not one that Shizuka disagrees with. Such ideals are quite worthy to be performed. Perhaps Shizuka might watch this movie when it is finished.

"Then there is one thing I do not understand: Why are you here? Why not shoot this movie in Italy, your homeland?" Yeah, there's no reason to travel thousands of miles just to shoot a film in a different location. And if you did, then why not go to Hollywood? It's not like there's any location that cannot be filmed from there.

"With him there?" Is he talking about Doni? It might be the only Italian living in Italy that Shizuka knows by name, but there's probably no one who could've caused more trouble. "That idiotic godslayer ruined my movie four years ago! I was busy filming when he came on the set, sword blazing and destroying my appliances and minions! He forced me to fight, and after a long, rage-filled battle I was slain. If it wasn't for that asshole I would've finished the movie years ago!"

Oh yes, it's Doni all right who screwed it up for others. Okay, it's not entirely his fault, as parts of this history are not spoken about: Doni did figure out that he destroyed the equipment of a god who meant no harm, and apologized for it before asking if he could get a part in the movie. However, by that time Bacchus was already enraged from Salvatore's previous actions, forcing a long and gruesome duel that lead to victory for the Campione.

"I fully agree there. Salvatore Doni is an idiot through and through."

Bacchus starts to smile, feeling a sense of camaraderie welling up from inside. "Absolutely! How can humans that stupid even exist in the world? He's more of a Neanderthal than a human."

Both sides laugh, proving once and for all that the best way to create friendship is mutual hatred for Salvatore Doni.

Suddenly Bacchus stops laughing, and his face turns solemn, as if disliking what he has to do. "However, while you might've been a great friend in another timeline there is one major fact opposing us: I am a god, and you are a godslayer. We are opponents forced to fight. My blood is boiling, and fighting you will be sheer euphoria."

Damn it, not another fight! "Seriously? After all this? Is there really no way for us not to do this?"

"Desine fata deum flecti sperare precando{8}." Bacchus raises his hands to the sky, quoting sentences in Latin.

"No dice, huh?"

"Indeed. Godslayer Kusanagi Shizuka, don't hold this against me, but I challenge you to a battle…"

-x-

{1} Nikko Toshugu: A Shinto shrine in Nikko dating from 1617. The building is dedicated to Tosho Daigongen, the name under which warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu is deified. The largest and most famous of all temples dedicated to this god, It's been on the UNESCO list for quite some time.

{2} Torri: Those Japanese gates you see at the entrance of shrines. Also the main used symbol for Shintoism.

(3) Tataki: Raw or slightly seared fish/meat, usually served with ginger, and optionally green onion, garlic and soy sauce.

{4} Eurogames: Also called the German-styled board game, is a class of tabletop game that has simple rules, short to medium playtime, focus on strategy and negating luck, and lean towards economic rather than militaristic themes. The opposite of American-style board games, which are called Ameritrash (This is not an insult or made up. This is the affectionate nickname used for American-style board games).

{5} Kanzume Goddess: A Japanese two player deck building card game in which you draw warriors to fight for your specific Greek/Norse deity so your domain (read: range of authorities) gets increased. Think of it like Dominion with anime boys and girls. Especially girls.

{6} Sterquilinus: Roman god of manure. Yeah, this was not a Beavis and Butthead joke. There was a god like that.

{7} Ulysses: The Roman name of Odysseus, hero of the Iliad and the Odyssey. The reason for his fall is the difference in culture between the Greek and Romans. The Greek, being cultural and developed, like Odysseus for his wit and cunning, but proud warriors like the Romans prefer strong fighters and dislike him, hence the title of fallen hero.

{8} Desine fata deum flecti sperare precando: "Cease to think that the decrees of the gods can be changed by prayers." Virgil, Aeneid, VI. 376.

-x-

So we meet Bacchus in this chapter. I'm sure he would rather fight Doni for a rematch then challenge Shizuka, but a fight's a fight.

Also, I apologize fo-

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

The following segment contains massive spoilers for the next chapter. A few lines have been copied from chapter 11 and placed here. If you do not want be spoiled, do not continue reading!

The following sentences will be found in the next chapter, in-context, fully making sense, and exactly as it is written there (also in this order):

-"Follow, but, follow only if ye be a woman of valor! For the entrance to this cave is guarded by a god so foul, so cruel, that no Campione yet has fought with it, and lived! Bones of full seven kings lie strewn in its wake! So! Brave devil king! If you do doubt your courage or your strength, go no further, for death awaits you with nasty, big, pointy…"

-"You are without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of."  
"But you have heard of me."

-"Hello. My name is Kusanagi Shizuka. You killed my brother. Prepare to die."

-"He told me enough. He told me you killed him!"  
"No, I am your brother!"

-"I'm going to make her an offer she can't refuse."

Now what could happen in the next chapter of this story? What horrors will await? See it in the next chapter of "It sits in the family".


	11. and into the Fire

Bacchus... who would've thought that he would turn on Shizuka like this? Damn it, just when she hoped that her holiday could be calm and peaceful, and this guy had to ruin it!

"Oh fire, descend form the heavens!" But if it's a fight he wants, then it's a fight he gets. Shizuka won't let herself be rolled over!

Bacchus too summons his authority, his domain of power: "Fair Bacchantes, bear cymbals, flutes and thyrses! Wild from Naxian groves and Zante's vineyards, sing delirious verses!"

As Bacchus sings these verses the air around him corrupts, twisted malignantly until it became harsh and abnormal. The humans who were applauding Bacchus just a minute ago are now unconscious, poisoned from the very air they breathe. Even Shizuka finds her breathing slightly inconvenienced, though she can manage.

However, it's not exactly poisoning the air. The only ones fainting here are humans. A domestic parakeet, just a few meters away from Shizuka, seems fine. It isn't affected at al-

Skraaa!

The parakeet lets out a loud roar, louder then should be naturally possible. Its body expands, hulks out. Shizuka isn't sure how, but the parakeet is… transforming? The feathers look more like razor-sharp blades, and why does that beak have teeth in it?

The steel cage that used to hold this beast stretches a bit before shattering under the new-found size of this monster bird. It quickly grows several meters, settling down when it's the size of a large car. It's also quite angry, rushing at Shizuka in a violent frenzy. Shizuka can only barely avoid getting hit by one of the beast's pecks, which seems to have developed a lust for Shizuka's blood.

An authority that turns normal animals into wild beasts? What kind of absurd authority is this?

Well, time to negate the effects of this authority. "Fire of sanctity, hereby I command: purify evil, nullify the wicked!" Different from nullifying magic like [Disaster purification] or [Fairy's blessing], this makeshift spell of Shizuka means to burns away evil while keeping the just intact. To do so Shizuka used about half of her stone of fire, a sacrifice well worth it if it prevents the creation of these monstrous divine beasts.

Blue fire surrounds the giant bird, which stopped to hunt Shizuka to deal with this strange situation. It tries to flap with its wings, or swipe with its tail, but nothing seems to extinguish these weird flames.

Suddenly the parakeet cries out in pain, proof that this technique of Shizuka is working. The bird shrinks down, and the fire increases in size the more the bird turns back to normal.

Hang on… the fire grows? That was not what Shizuka planned to do. Why would this authority suddenly do that? Shizuka's eyes go wide, suddenly realizing that she made a big mistake! Quickly she changes [Fire] for the more defensive earth, as now she must defend herself from her own authority:

"As the sovereign of earth, grant upon me a shield to resist all flames!" Quickly a multi-layered wall of earth surrounds Shizuka, and not too soon as the blue fire turns into a loud explosion.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could Shizuka forget the most important part of her authority! The elemental chain! This authority of Bacchus that poisons and maddens the air, it's equal to Shizuka's wood. This wood feeds Shizuka's fire, increasing its power but also destabilizing it! That caused the explosion, her fire went berserk by Bacchus' power! It's a small wonder Shizuka didn't have any mayor problems with this before.

Dismissing the earth wall Shizuka sees what exactly her flames caused: The humans who fell unconscious on the ground are now either dead, on fire or dead and on fire. The parakeet is long gone too.

Her father… Shizuka cannot find him. Is he simply not here? Did he get burned beyond recognition? What happened to dad?! What happened to him! "Dad? Dad!"

Shizuka screams it out, trying to hope if there is any contact. She has basically forgotten about her fight, only keeping half an eye on that god. Now she just wants her family to be okay. To have caused her father's own death, along with these other people… Shizuka doesn't even want to think about it.

Frantically she searches around for an answer, hoping to hear any plea of live. Dad… someone… anyone would do! Just don't die here!

Shizuka isn't even hearing Bacchus speak his next chants, words of arrogance and dominance:

"Hades! Is this one not Bacchus, the twice-born, he who came back from the dead? Fear the liberator, for he took his mother back from the underworld! Fear the ever prevailing, for he restored the honor of his wife by descending to you, Hades! Fear this lord, for once more he will prove his dominance over death's domain. Those souls are my proof of glory!"

As the last words flows out of Bacchus' mouth the dead bodies start to regain form, the burned tissue restoring. The dead people are standing up, quickly being restored to its former glory. The humans are looking around, wondering what just happened. Some are a bit panicking, others still dazed, but they're certainly alive.

Shizuka too looks around in wonder, amazed at this miracle. The thing that snaps her out of it is one word of a very dear person:

"Shizuka-chan!" Her father, who she had presumed dead, is standing there, running towards Shizuka. "Is everything okay with my dearest daughter?!"

Her father is alive. Kusanagi Genzou, along with the rest of the humans, is fully okay. The parakeet though seems to be still dead, as one of the woman is currently crying about the loss of her pet.

Shizuka doesn't care about the live of just one animal when her father returned from the underworld She runs towards her father, ready to fall into his arms… until all humans suddenly stand perfectly still and turn away from Shizuka, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Hey king, you surely didn't forget about little ol' me, did you? We still have a battle going on right here!"

"N-No, of course I did not forget." She did. She completely forgot about Bacchus' existence. Looking around her Shizuka does have another question for the god: "That aside, were you the one who resurrected all these people?"

"Of course it was none other than me!" the god of wine talks with wild vigor, speaking in bright colors about his deeds. "Who else is capable of such a feat? Who else can create such miracles? Humans, what is the name of the great god who did all this?"

"Bacchus! Bacchus! Bacchus!" As one the populace cheers, once more being controlled by the Roman god. He revels in it, clearly enjoying all the attention he is getting.

"Indeed! It is I, Bacchus! Sing praises for the glorious me!"

As much of an attention whore Bacchus is, Shizuka must admit that for once he did a good job. Shizuka politely bows in front of Bacchus, thanking him for his actions: "I'm very grateful to you for resurrecting everyone here. Please, accept my heartfelt gratitude."

"Uhm… well, it's nothing." For the first time since Shizuka met him Bacchus looks visibly shaken, as if he did not expect such a compliment from his opponent. "I just wanted to get myself an audience. What is a god without those who follow him? Humans, show your allegiance once more!"

As Bacchus speaks these words he raises a fist in the air, making the humans erupt in a mass of clapping and cheering. Everyone, including Genzou and the woman who lost her bird, forgets about their past and praise this god into the high heavens.

"Even so, you did resurrect all these people, including my own father. It's a magnificent act of kindness you performed here." If the only thing that makes Bacchus lose his cool is being nice and kind, then Shizuka sees no reason to stop. She is Japanese after all, and this is just the thing her people are good at. "Truly, I owe you for this feat."

"N-Now, don't confuse this with anything else!" Bacchus starts to visibly sweat, not liking the direction of this conversation. It starts to remind him a bit too much of speaking with any of the Olympians… well, except for Ares, that brute couldn't even make full sentences. "This was a purely selfish motivation. I didn't try to help you or anything."

"Now, don't sell yourself short, Bacchus." Putting on her best fabricated smile Shizuka does her best to unsettle this god. "You did an amazing job, and should actually be rewarded for it. I'm afraid that I've nothing at hand, but surely something can be arranged for you."

Bacchus' face starts to contort a bit, and the cheering of the humans has died down. He isn't angry at all; all he feels is a combination of annoyance and reluctance. This cannot continue at all.

"Urgh… enough!" Bacchus shouts out loudly, showing clear dislike on his face. "This is boring. I thought that a grandiose battle would lift my spirit a bit, but this is no fun at all…" He jumps off his gaudy chariot, walking towards Shizuka. "Perhaps if it was that idiot from home it would be fun, but you're way too polite and stuff to have a full-out fight with. It's… look, can we end this battle here?"

Bacchus summons a small olive branch, and hands it out to Shizuka. In ancient times this was a sign of peace, of acceptance. Shizuka accepts this offer eagerly, almost too eagerly for her own liking. With that action the duel is to an end, with a total victim count of one parakeet. His death will not be mourned.

And so, for the first time in history, politeness triumphs over war! It's a surprisingly nice change of pace for Shizuka.

"So, do we part now as friends?" A bit anticlimactically, yes, but a good enough ending if you ask Shizuka.

"Eh?" Bacchus looks puzzled. He doesn't seem to understand the words that come out of Shizuka's mouth. "Part? Why should we part? We may have stopped fighting, but we're not done dueling!"

We're not? Now it is Shizuka who doesn't understand what this god of wine is saying, so all she can let out is a flat "What?".

"You're right that we're done with fighting. It was short and without doubt bothersome, so we quit with that. However, that doesn't mean that I don't want to defeat you!"

Out of the frying pan, and into the fire. Shizuka's problems don't seem to be over yet. "And how do you want to defeat me if you don't want to fight?"

Bacchus gives a smug smirk of superiority, as if he is looking down on the silly little godslayer. "Then how do humans settle duels? If the only thing they did was fighting, a god like me wouldn't even exist!" That, and those Greeks would like Ares a lot more other than his role as a total joke. Hah, even though he became the Roman's favorite god, it's still fun to make laugh at Mars' past!

"Ugh, do we really have to do that?"As happy and jovial Bacchus is, Shizuka is the exact opposite. Can't the gods just leave her alone for a while? When she expected a trip to the Caribbean she expected calm and peace. Gods usually only spawn in their (former) domain of influence, and the Caribbean isn't exactly known for its myth and folklore. This should be a god-free zone, not a place to meet the Roman god of wine and madness!

"Truly, I owe you for this feat." Bacchus says, imitating Shizuka's tone and mannerisms. "Your words, not mine."

Tsk. Shizuka must admit that Bacchus has a point. Her flattery, however effective it may be, did leave her with a bit of a debt, and that god is willing to exploit that fact.

The young godslayer cuts her losses and concede defeat on this matter. "Fine then. How do you want to fight it out?"

Bacchus starts to smile, a cue for Shizuka that someone is going to speak in his over-the-top persona: "Of course, the only way we can duel is with the most honorable, most manly, most awesome, most spectacular way possible!"

Shizuka makes a small quip that's she's a female, but it seems to be ignored by Bacchus, and drowned out by the cheers of the humans and satyrs when Bacchus makes the proposal:

"The only way we can decide who is the better of us two… is a drinking competition!"

…

Really? Is he serious?

"I think that a drinking match against the god of wine sounds hardly fair. Besides, I'm thirteen. I don't think it's good for me to drink more than three glasses of alcohol per day." In general, it isn't allowed for any Japanese below the age of twenty to drink alcohol. However, Shizuka considers herself to be somewhat of an exception to this rule. If she did follow the rules that much she wouldn't be a godslayer to begin with.

"Hey missy, you're a godslayer. You've probably already got murder, deicide and mass destruction behind you. Being drunk in public won't influence your record by that much." Damn, for a god of madness he's surprisingly eloquent! Can't he stop making up good points for a drinking match? "Besides, our bodies don't exactly get damaged from overexposure to alcohol. At worst, we'll feel a bit sick tomorrow, but there's no permanent damage done."

No, it seems that Bacchus can't stop bringing up good points. Even so, even so… "Isn't there anything else we can do? No matter how you persuade me, I think that a drinking contest against the god of wine is a bit slanted towards you."

"Well, you do have a point there. In that case, since both battles and drinking contests are out, how about we settle it with my third and final idea:" Bacchus raises his hand in the air, and one of the satyrs manages to throws some stick-shaped item at its lord. Without moving Bacchus catches the stick, causing him to… transform, for lack of a better word:

His blond mane is covered by a blue baseball cap and a black bandana, a bunch of golden chains hang around his neck over his still naked torso, golden rings, oversized sunglasses and a single large earring on his right ear. What's more, the stick changed into a microphone.

Okay, the hell?

"Let us settle our differences with an awesome rap battle! This god be pimping! keeping it 100 with you, no Vaseline: I'll sent dimes like you back to the dukes like I've cut them! Now, ready to dance with the devil, shawty? {1}"

"On second thought, that drinking contest doesn't sound so bad after all." Because it is better than this absurd stupidity. Shizuka doesn't even understand half of the slang Bacchus is using, seemingly untranslatable even for her omnilingual powers.

Bacchus doesn't even seem sad as Shizuka rejects his third idea in favor of the second. This was probably his goal all along, and that's why he exaggerated his second idea so much. Yeah, Shizuka's been duped here. Bacchus clearly got the favorable deal out of this conversation.

The god of wine is now preparing the chant for his most famous and well-known authority: "Bring me wine, but wine that never grew in the belly of the grape / Or wine, whose tap-roots suffer no savor of the earth to scape!"

With singing voice Bacchus speaks this incantation, causing large wooden barrels to surround the area. Shizuka doesn't even need to guess what's inside of it.

"Let its grapes the morn salute from a nocturnal root/ which feeds the acrid juice from Styx and Erebus / And turn the woe of night, by its own craft, to a more rich delight!"

In total around ten barrels stand here, each one containing the standard amount of wine: 225 liters. More than enough for this competition.

Looking to the side Shizuka sees that the satyrs have made a table and chairs out of sand, with pillows and a blanket to keep everything clean. Bacchus invites Shizuka to the table, which would be somewhat romantic were it not for the fact that it's done by a god who seeks a drinking challenge. The humans and satyrs follow, but keep a bit of distance of this duo. They're not to intervene here.

Both contestants take their seats, and Bacchus explains the rules to Shizuka: "Now, as you can see, these barrels here contain the crème de la crème, a work of art that stands at the pinnacle of winemaking. It's also one of the few wines that can make even me drunk. It has the same effect on gods and godslayers, so there's no need to worry about this battle being unfair. Such a victory wouldn't feel right to me."

Shizuka has no reason to put doubt on that claim. Bacchus is a glory hound. He's not the type who would obtain victory by cheating, such a thing would make him the "evil" guy people are not supposed to root for. If he did that then he would find neither fame nor joy in such a shallow victory.

No, this battle will be completely fair. Shizuka or Bacchus? Who can best hold their liquor?

"Now, the satyrs will stay sober for this, so they can function as the judges: you pass out, you lose; you puke, you lose; You stop drinking, you lose; Spill your drink, you lose; You hinder the other's ability to drink, you lose. Clear?"

Crystal. Shizuka is ready for this contest. While there's nothing but pride at stake her nature does not allow her to lose here.

Both parties are handed a wine-drinking cup with a broad body and two horizontal handles. It's the traditional cup of the ancient Mediterranean people, a kylix. One of the Satyrs bottles wine from the larger barrels, and these bottles are used to pour the drinks. They're on the small side for bottles, and the content of one of these is just enough to fill a drinking cup. It's an ingenious system that ensures both sides of an equal amount of wine.

"I suppose we should say cheers, then." Shizuka lifts her glass, waiting to toast glasses with Bacchus.

"Yes, we should. It's only appropriate, right?" Bacchus accepts this gesture, lifting his glass in response to Shizuka.

A loud clink signifies the toast, and with a loud "Cheers!" both drink their first glass of wine.

It's chugged quickly by both sides, which is a real shame if you ask Shizuka. This is some prime quality wine, it's almost a shame it's used for a contest like this!

Before Shizuka can have more of these thoughts, her glass is filled again, forcing her to drink again.

They both drink cup after cup, fighting to see which one of the two will stand at the top.

-x-

 _21st of December, late afternoon._

John Pluto Smith. Fifth of the devil kings in the world, he's the superhero of Los Angeles. However, this does not mean that he does not help with divine problems outside of his city. So long as the god descended somewhere in North- or Middle-America he would make some time free to help with the slaying or repelling of that god. So too this time, when he heard of reports that a god had descended in the Caribbean.

Of course, to simply stroll in and fight the enemy is not Smith's style. No, he would wait for the opportune moment, the climax, and then drop in like a superhero. He would always be late but never too late.

When he heard news of another king being in that spot for the holidays he was quite happy that the situation would likely not need his help. If there is no need for a godslayer to arrive, then perhaps some investigations should be done by a "follower", so to say:

Annie Charlton. A woman of twenty-seven years old, of Caucasian origin with vibrant red hair in a short cut. An icy beauty, whose only flaw is a lack of gentle femininity. When she was a teen she slayed the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca, becoming the fifth godslayer in the process. She is the true identity of superhero John Pluto Smith.

Acting as a mere subject of the fifth king she would scout the situation, and apply help if needed. If the situation took a turn for the worse, then Smith could always suddenly appear and fight against evil.

However, when she arrived she did not expect the fight between god and Campione to go this way: A lot of humanoid beasts called Satyrs are currently setting up makeshift benches, places in a large circle around a single podium. In fact, it looks a lot like a Greco-Roman amphitheater is being built here.

The humans at the scene, who from the looks of it are clearly hypnotized, are all taking seats on the benches, and those who don't have seats yet simply wait until some are constructed for them.

Annie approaches one of the satyrs, one that looks like all the others but is clearly giving orders to some his kin. "Excuse me, could you tell me what exactly is going on here?"

To simply approach a supernatural beast is quite foolish for a human mage, something that might make Annie's guise of normalcy less plausible, but these seem rather friendly compared to those she usually deals with.

"Ah, miss, to not be affected, I assume you are a mage then?" Annie nods without expressing any form of emotion, so the satyr simply continues. "Our god Bacchus had the sudden whim to perform in a theater, so we are now constructing one for him. We would like it if you too could watch his grandiose performance. This time, we even have one of those godslayers showing as a guest star!"

One of those godslayers? Discounting herself, who could possibly show up like this? Marquis Voban isn't interested in theatrics, and would just fight him; Her eminence would not leave her home for something as ridiculous as this; Madame Aisha might be possible, though only because Annie doesn't know her that well; Black prince Alexandre wouldn't be caught dead in such a ridiculous situation; Sir Salvatore… might in fact do this; Kusanagi Godou? Hmm, unlikely he would focus on that. He's a bit too obsessed with women to partake in activities like this.

So Doni is the most likely, perhaps Aisha in other cases. Well, if it just ends in theatre, then perhaps there is no need for the legendary superhero to appear.

"I would be willing to see this divine play here." Spoken without charm, once more Annie's flaws come up again. "Could you assign me a place to sit?"

"Of course, m'lady." The satyr brings Annie to an edge seat on the fifth row, somewhat elevated so that a good view of the podium is possible.

The podium itself is quite large, only slightly smaller than half a football field. Why would a god need so much space? What kind of theatrical play is he planning?

The satyr has not left Annie's place, but stands on the steps leading to the fifth row, right next to Annie. He had no intention of leaving yet, as he simply takes the seat next to Annie.

"Well, the play is about to begin. Let's enjoy this spectacle together, okay?"

Is… is this satyr hitting on her? Well, talk about chanceless! "Yes, let's see what will happen."

Just as Annie speaks these cold words the curtains of the stage open, revealing a single satyr sitting on one of those chairs lifeguards use. Clearly having the role of the narrator, he starts to speak with compelling voice:

"Greetings, oh public. Welcome to this place of magic and mystery. Many see this world as ordinary, a place where dreams and hopes have died down, but nothing could be further from the truth. This world is filled with mages, gods, and most importantly Campione. These legendary humans managed to do the impossible. They managed to slay one of these legendary divine beings, obtaining the god's power and claiming the title of devil king. A rare feat, of which there are currently only eight alive."

Eight? That word is what shocks Annie the most. Why did the announcer say that there are eight? There is one obvious solution, but that one is considered near impossible. The chance of a new king this close to another, it's something that can be considered a miracle. Can it truly be that such a thing happened?

"For my master Bacchus a king can be many things: an ally, a worthy opponent, or an eternal enemy. The true worth of the king will be determined by the Campione's first encounter with the liberating god of wine, and that moment is today."

The narrator falls silent, and a red carpet temporarily closes off the podium. Soft noises can be heard from on stage, where the satyrs are setting up the first act. Within as little as half a minute the stage has been set, and somehow the stage looks more like a beach than the beach this theatre is built on.

There is no one on stage, except for an Asian girl in a purple bikini. Looking with a sharp glance Annie studies this girl in her early teens, and it is easy to tell that they are of the same kind. They both belong in the league of supermorons who managed to kill a god.

The girl stands up, albeit a bit clumsily. Annie doesn't know why, but for some reason it seems that her footing is a bit unsteady, though she still seems to hold herself somewhat rightly.

"Now, what a beautiful day on these islands. It is perfect for a holiday. I hope that nothing interrupts this holiday of mine."

The thundering noise of hooves is heard from the right side of the podium, as from the sky descends what gives off the power of a god. He is riding a horse… which is standing on a chariot pulled by two cheetahs, which is standing on a chariot driven by three tigers. What an utterly ridiculous contraption.

"Behold, for I, Bacchus has arrived!" He jumps off the chariot, and lands with bit of a stumble, like he's not in balance of his body. "Now, audience, cheer! Cheer for the great god!"

Bacchus raises his hands in the air, causing everyone to cheer. The humans because they were still mind-controlled, the satyrs because it's their job as subordinate familiars of a god, and Annie because she doesn't think it is wise to single herself out like this.

"Hey, you!" While Bacchus is still enjoying the grandiose applause the other person on stage is not letting it go this easily. "Yeah, I'm talking to you!" She points her finger at Bacchus, who gives a look of fake surprise at seeing the eighth king on stage. "What's… what's a god doing here?" Now the godslayer is stumbling over her own words, and both kings seem a bit… slow, for lack of a better word.

These symptoms these two have been showing. It's quite a bit like herself, when she grabs the bottle after some rough times (Information presented by professor J. West, one of the few who know Smith's true identity). So, does that mean… Are these two…

"Damn it, these two are completely ruining the script!" The satyr next to Annie is almost raging, making her lose focus on the play. "We satyrs worked for at least two hours on this, painstakingly obeying every absurd order, and then those two drunkards ruin it!"

"They're drunk?"

"Isn't that obvious? Just look at them!" Yes, the satyr has a point, but that's not the answer Annie is looking for.

"What I mean is, how did these two become so plastered?" The must be some reason for why a drunk god and a drunk godslayer are trying to perform an act together, and it's impossible for anyone not present to grasp why this exactly happened.

The satyr is more than willing to explain it all: "Well, when lord Bacchus arrived here on this island he met this king you see there, which led to hesitant opposition of both sides. The two fought for a bit before getting bored from it all. Their final solution was to solve it with a drinking contest. Whoever would stop drinking first would lose."

A drinking contest?! Yeah, Annie's newest peer certainly falls in line with the rest of them. At best, she's just an alcoholic at her age. At worst… Annie doesn't even want to think about it.

"So how did this drinking contest go?"

The satyr lets out a chuckle, as if remembering something funny, and decides to tell Annie the whole story:

 _The first few drinks went without any trouble. It was after half a dozen or so glasses that the two started to talk to one another for the first time._

" _Hey, missy, shouldn't you quit right now? Though, if you ask me, I think those blushing cheeks are quite cute."_

" _Well, then that makes two of us. You're not quite as good as you think, Bacchus!"_

 _The two shared a laugh, both having gotten a boost of self-confidence from the alcohol. They laugh and have a good time together._

 _A couple of glasses later other effects start to become visible: The young king started to get a bit drowsy, and our lord behaved even more erratically than usual. They began to suffer from some… emotional breakdown:_

" _And then I was told: 'No, Dionysus, we don't need your epics and your moments of intelligence. We Romans just want an excuse to party.' I used to be a nomadic father of the skies! I used to be Sabazios, ruling god of the Phrygians and the Thracians! But now? Now I'm a divine comedy, a joke of the lowest level!"_

 _Then our lord burst out in tears, drowning his sorrows with another glass of alcohol. The king gave a wry and sympathetic smile, commiserating with Bacchus._

" _There, there. It's not like it's so great being a king like me."_

" _Oh what are you talking about!" Bacchus suddenly became angry, throwing off the sympathetic words of the Campione. "You're a king! You're basically a ruler of humanity! You can basically do whatever you want!"_

" _And you think I want that?!" The godslayer shouted back just as hard as our lord. "before becoming a king I just wanted to live normally, becoming something important through standard means. I would learn, study, work, become successful, and eventually settle with a family. It would've been a perfectly normal great life. I used to be the most ordinary member of my family, but look at me now! I had to kill a god, and now I have these freaky powers and a duty to protect my country."_

 _Bacchus answered slowly, his speech somewhat slurred from the wine: "Oh… sorry. I didn't know you felt that way." However, for Bacchus this was unintelligible, something he truly doesn't understand. Someone who does not want to be well-known? "But what's so bad about becoming famous through unordinary ways?"_

" _Because no matter what I do, I will always be recognized as a Campione. A fool who got lucky enough to slay a god. That's all. I could become the richest person on the world, and I would probably achieve it through slaying some god of money. Even if I didn't people would think I pressured companies out of their cash by using my power. What kind of ordinary accomplishments can someone like me do?"_

 _Bacchus did not comfort her. He did not scold her. He did not argue with her. He simply heard it, threw his head back and laughed like there is no tomorrow._

 _The king, angered by this display of her opponent, was ready to give a scolding, but lord Bacchus explained his actions: "Then what about me? I am a god. If I want to do something you humans find ordinary, is that then wrong? Are my creations less great because they were made by a god? No, of course not! The only thing that matters is that I do whatever the hell I want to do!"_

" _Bacchus…" That young king looked in awe at her opponent. Instead of answered she still had to finish her cup, allowing lord Bacchus to elongate his argument:_

" _So what if I want to make art? No matter what happens, or what I will become, I'll make sure that my art is so damn good that no one can surpass it!" At that moment Bacchus raised his glass, and ends the rest of his drink. "Then how about this: Right here, right now, I'll create the ultimate play! Not because I'm a god, but because I'm simply the best!"_

 _Both smirked at this line, letting out a laugh or two about each other. To the rest, it seemed like they were the best of friends… and my lord had one final offer to this "friend":_

" _However, I still need a female lead for that play. How about it? Want to take that role for me?"_

" _No, I don't want to take that role for you…" It was a shock for Bacchus to hear this, but it was quickly resolved by the rest of the answer: "I want to take that role, for me."_

"And with that the two decided to 'create' the ultimate musical. And with 'create', I mean 'force the satyrs to do all the work for them'."

"I… see." It's still absurd, but Annie believes his. It's not like she has any reason to doubt it. A sudden crashing sound tells her that she should refocus on the musical:

On the stage the tremendous power of authorities is unleashed. Both Bacchus and the young king have activated the powers of their authorities. If there was any doubt left in Annie's mind about the existence of an eighth king this should be the final, conclusive proof.

On Bacchus' side long and thick vines grow, along with branches of poisonous ivy. Acting like a swarm of destructive whips these plants try to harm and restrict the young king, who in turn uses a blackish stone to summon a longsword to her side. It's a standard two-handed European sword with a three-feet-long blade, but instead of metal it looks more like it is made of glass.

The young king makes a simple horizontal swing, clearly showing that she's not a master swordswoman, but it still manages to cut two vines in half and nick a third.

The cut vines still approach the king, trying to take her life, but no matter how they struggle they cannot reach her. Ice would grow where the blade of glass had cut, quickly spreading over the rest of the plant before completely freezing over. The magic vines, which even a great knight would not destroy easily, were incapacitated without trouble.

A few more time the young king slashes at these plants, and before long the stage looks like a garden for ice sculptures.

After a minute or two the battle, short-lived as it was, ends. Bacchus calls out to his enemy.

"Yes, I shall accept your strength." Bacchus stands firmly, untouched by the ice. Clearly he didn't go all out, focusing more on keeping the audience satisfied. "This battle is over. We shall be known as equals. I already told my name, so may I know yours?"

"I'm Kusanagi Shizuka. So, what are you doing here?" Annie looks perplexed after hearing that name. Kusanagi Shizuka… She read some reports about the seventh king after meeting that sexual deviant, and if Annie remembers correctly this is the name of Godou's sister. Can it be? There's a pair of literal Campione siblings?

Annie checks this knowledge with the satyr next to her, but he doesn't confirm. Not because it isn't true, but because the satyrs didn't even know about Kusanagi Godou. In fact, this gave the satyr some ideas to improve the story even more, using this uncovered fact as a major plot twist.

Annie missed a few sentences of the script by talking to the satyr, but not much has happened. Bacchus just explained that he is busy to save the world from a great evil. In a cave to the west a god set up an authority, with the intent to destroy the entire planet! Bacchus must stop that authority from activating, or else there won't be any planet left to enjoy!

"Then can I join you? I also have no intent of letting this planet be destroyed." A proposal from the eighth king to form an alliance, to join against the bigger threat.

Bacchus laughs at the idea, but does not deny it. "Very well! Follow, but, follow only if ye be a woman of valor! For the entrance to this cave is guarded by a god so foul, so cruel, that no Campione yet has fought with it, and lived! Bones of full seven kings lie strewn in its wake! So! Brave devil king! If you do doubt your courage or your strength, go no further, for death awaits you with nasty, big, pointy tentacles!"

"So what do I need to expect, Cthulhu?" Almost jokingly Shizuka references the works of H.P. Lovecraft, the only truly known tentacle god. It's like she's scoffing at the idea of a fictional deity.

"No… it's even worse." Bacchus' answer is cut short, as the curtain fall on this act. Some shuffling can be heard behind the scenes, as satyrs are moving props and other important pieces around. The narrator announces a small break, which Annie uses to investigate a bit more.

"So, about those two, what did you say about being wasted?" Continuing an old subject, there's something that she wants to get clear. How did they get drunk that easily? Knowing herself, ever after she became a Campione her resistance increased tenfold. She literally needs to drink away an entire bar to get somewhat drunk, and she wasn't that much of a heavyweight before ascending.

"Oh, a few hundred meters to the west of this beach is where lord Bacchus had his drinking contest against this king. They both drank quite a lot before ending up in the state you saw right there." The satyr points to an abandoned part of the beach, a tourist spot now looking rather desolate. All the humans who were there are now in this location, so there's no one there. "Either way, I need to go now. With the sibling relationship uncovered I need to revise the script for some of the future acts, so please wait here alone."

Annie says a curt goodbye, and quickly she is left alone. Her mind wanders a bit, wondering whether there is a need for John Pluto Smith to arrive. The situation isn't dire, and these two aren't specifically doing something heinous against the populace. At least, if you don't count this cringeworthy theatrical play. Unless Bacchus decides to lash out in anger there is no need for a heroic approach.

On the other hand, she kind of wants to join. She is, after all, a superhero. Theatrics are her specialty, so of all kings in existence this would suit her best.

Hmm… what to do? Annie is left with little time to ponder, as the next act starts.

Bacchus and the younger Kusanagi stand on the left of the stage, while the right side is dressed up like a cave.

"Behold! This is the cave I spoke about. In here the god guards the earth-shattering treasure." Bacchus takes a few steps forwards, examining the ground. "But it seems we are in luck. There are still remnants of an earlier battle, not too long ago. The evil god must be resting somewhere, recovering his wounds! If we go now, we might get a quick kill."

Shizuka agrees with this opportunistic approach, quickly stepping forward towards the cave.

"ye won't be doing that!" Smoke generators cover the stage in a veil of mist, as one man drops down from the sky. It's a satyr with the archetypal pirate outfit: captain's hat with feather, scruffy black beard, red coat, bandolier with multiple pistols, and long white pants. "Yarr, 'tis I, Blackbeard, scourge of the seven seas! Ye think we lads let landlubbers like you interlope? Come, me buckos!"

One by one the new people drop in. The first to come down has long and wavy hair with a short goatee, embroidered yellow nobleman's clothing and a rapier stashed at his side. Once more this person is played by a satyr, who seems a bit sad he had to mutilate his beard. "So, wee lass, leave now or ye be shanked like me strumpet! 'tis I, Henry Morgan!"

The next is actually a human female, most likely played by one of Bacchus' maenads {2} due to a lack of female satyrs. This woman wears a blue jacket and pants, with a white blouse and several leather belts to hold her sabre and double flintlocks. "Aye, nor shall Anne Bonny parley with a carouser!"

The fourth, another satyr, is a lot older than the others. White hair, both on his head and on his face, along with many wrinkles show the age and wisdom accumulated over the years. He wears a green captains' jacket with black pants, a green sash tied around his waist and a tricorne on his head. A single gun rests on his shoulders, as he warily looks over these enemies. "Be ye strong, be ye weak… all shall fall when our lord recovers, William Kidd swears so!"

"And we, me hearties, shall keep ye at bay! The final privateer, Francis Drake!" The last one is a satyr with curly hair, a thin mustache and long goatee. It complements his entirely black clothing, which consists of a mantle, cape, vest, pants and belt. Wielding sword and gun at the same time, he is the last of the pirate team of five.

Five legends of pirate history, now acted out here on stage as guardians of the ultimate deity. Now there will be a long theatrical play between the two heroes and the five evil members who will do their best to stop these two.

"Me mateys, 'tis time for our special attack!" On Blackbeard's cue the five all start glowing, each in the color of their clothing: Red, yellow, blue, green, black; Five powerful aura's form around them, all with the intend to kill and destroy.

"Behold! Ultimate…" Blackbeard turns the red energy into a ball, and shoots it into the sky.

"…divine slaying…" William Kidd jump in the air, absorbing the red ball of energy.

"…triple destruction…" Anne Bonny shoots her ball of energy into the air, and now Henry Morgan jumps up to absorb this energy.

"…grand crusher…" Francis Drake jumps higher even then the other two, forming a triangle with the other two jumpers. The energies combine, and a ring of triangles scopes in on the two enemies.

"Dragon symbol of the earth, come forth and rip my enemies asunder." But the young king wants to have nothing of that." A dragon jumps out of the stage, breaking apart part of the floor and catching all those who jumped up in his jaws. Before the pirates could even retaliate they were swallowed up by this beast.

It's unsummoned as fast as it appeared, but the pirate clique, who probably had an entire battle scripted here, are suddenly taken out by this surprise attack that killed three of their own. Hopefully for Bacchus he can resummons them some time after they died, Annie wouldn't want this god to start rampaging at the loss of his subordinates.

The two survivors look at the mess that is made, and while Anne looks like she wants to scream in frustration it is Blackbeard who plays along:

"Henry! William! Francis! Screaming at the heavens he laments the death of his friends, as he builds his narrative. "This cannot be happening! Three of me mateys have been eaten! We can't perform our special attack with just two people, 'tis impossible!"

Blackbeard points an angry finger at the devil king, with anger that blurs the line of real and acted: "Accursed scoundrels! Attacking before the activation is over… ye inconsiderate hound! What are ye, a devil king?!"

Annie understands the humor, as that is a common nickname given to Campione. Bacchus points out the nature of his companion, though she seems to dislike that title.

"By our lord! This pirate forgot all that!" Looking genuinely shocked, Blackbeard almost falters. Shizuka facepalms, ridiculing the situation. She only has insults ready for such idiocy:

"You are without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of."

"But you have heard from me." The only retort available for Blackbeard to save face, he is looking over the options he has left. There's not much really, because the entire script in obliterated with Shizuka's attack. Even Anne Bonny is questioning their options.

"Blackbeard, how do we drown these scurvy dogs with just the two of us? What can we do?" Anne is ready to give up, but suddenly a voice appears from nowhere:

"Do not be afraid, my servants." A thundering, dominating voice booms echoes through the air. It's powerful and conceited, but there is no familiar signature of a god. In other words, this must be another satyr, acting the role of evil god. "I am almost fully recovered, so stay awake."

"My lord!" Both Blackbeard and Anne Bonny shout out, happy that the other satyrs seem to have skipped the second act. However, that happiness changes quickly when two long tentacles grab the remaining pirates. The duo looks in shock, questioning their god for his plan.

"I will be at my full power again after I've absorbed some energy. You two will do!"

Both scream in fear as they're dragged off the stage. The curtains close, and the narrator apologizes for the second break.

Annie is pleasantly surprised. The first part just seemed like the broken ramblings of a drunkard, but there's tension and suspense right now, and this leaves the audience craving for more. The play might become fun to watch with all these improvements!

Perhaps something to drink would help. Perhaps the taste of a glass of wine can improve the mood even more, make theatre joyful again! And since there is divine-grade wine wasting away on the beach, it would be a shame if she didn't take a few sips from that source.

Annie leaves the theater for a bit, preparing herself for the third act, and whatever that may bring.

-x-

 _Somewhat later, same location._

When people talk about Jack Milburn, they usually speak more about his inner qualities then his external ones. Mundane people call him intelligent, patient, down to earth, protective of others, yet showing great passion and drive in emergency situations; mages on the other hand will speak up about his magical talent and willingness to hang around the fifth godslayer, John Pluto Smith. Hang around being the word here, as even Jack can get annoyed by the actions of his "friend".

Even so Jack follows his king around whenever there is trouble in Los Angeles, earning him the nickname of "Jack Watson" from those who like JPS and the nickname "Smith's dog" from the king's enemies. Smith himself seems to prefer comic books, as he call his friend more of a Dick Grayson {3}. Perhaps because Watson shares the king's name, and Smith doesn't want any disrespect to people named John?

O well, it's not that Jack cares about such titles. It's the actions that bother him more. "Hey Jack, there's a god who descended in the Caribbean. Could you take Annie with you and investigate what is going on?"

Why of course Smith, there's nothing I would like to do more! It's not like this interrupts my lovey-dovey time with my girlfriend Allison!

It's a pity, but Jack can't refuse this order. Being the king's aid forces Jack to make more sacrifices than anyone would like, but hey, someone must take that role upon themselves.

Jack's plan was simple: Get to St. Lucia, the island nation where the god seems to be headed; find and intercept him together with Annie; get John Pluto Smith to make an appearance and defeat this god; then go back home to Allison, perhaps having a small party with Annie and Smith to celebrate the king's victory.

Of course, it isn't that easy. Annie, while beautiful, is not that talkative a woman, and the flight to this island was rather boring. No, a relationship with Annie would be much worse compared to Jack's current girlfriend.

The second problem happened right after the duo landed. Jack learned a valuable lesson: If being with Annie Charlton was bad, then being without her is worse. For some reason Jack managed to lose her on the airport, leading to a long search for her. Eventually he got a message from miss Charlton telling him that he doesn't need to worry about her, and they need to investigate separately.

Ugh, can't Annie say something like "I miss you, let's gather somewhere?" It would increase her feminine charm tenfold!

The third and final problem is the insanity before his eyes. Sure, the enemy is a god. Whatever they do is always borderline absurd, and Jack didn't expect it to be any different this time around.

However, this is ridiculous even for divine standards. What kind of god would actively go and make a gargantuan stage for his own amusement?

A bunch of half-men, half-goat come running at Jack, all panicking for some reason. If correctly recalled, these beasts are satyrs.

The satyrs are running away, perhaps searching for help, and they completely ignore Jack. Not wanting to unwittingly do something stupid Smith's sidekick apprehends the oldest-looking of the beasts, with no more hair on top of his body and fat belly from overindulging alcohol. Jack asks what exactly is going on here, and the satyr is willing to answer.

"My name is Silenus, mage. I'm one of the satyrs who serve our god Bacchus. As for why we are all panicking, it's… well, it's a long story, but let's keep it at the creation of a very powerful divine beast."

A powerful divine beast? "Excuse me for asking, but isn't Bacchus a god?" Even the most powerful beast, no matter how strong, should still be able to easily handle something of that level. There's no reason to panic here.

"If this was a normal situation, then yes, you're correct. However, this is a divine beast created by a drunk god and a drunk godslayer that ripped itself apart from the shackles of servitude." The hell? Silenus sees what Jack is thinking, so he quickly excuses himself by saying that "I told you it was a long story."

Jack has not heard enough, so he extracts all other relevant information: The birth of a new king, her alliance with Bacchus, how they both got smashed and decided to perform a theatric play, how they made a fake satyr-controlled beast based on the flying spaghetti monster, and how though corruption of mana managed to gain self-consciousness and believe it's the actual one. It sounds stupid and dumb, but this seems to be a reality.

"Even so, why are you all so afraid? Even when drunk a god and a Campione should be more than enough to deal with this threat."

"It's not the monster we fear. If Bacchus were sober he would end this fight cleanly. Now, though… our worst-case prediction is complete annihilation of this island."

Okay, Jack can see why this would be very bad. The world doesn't need to lose an entire country due to wine. Silenus complains that the satyrs cannot do anything, lacking the power to stop the monster nor the persuasive power to order their god. Even the humans cannot be evacuated, since they've been forced by Bacchus' power to watch his magnificent art.

"I did hear of some red-headed cool beauty among the audience, a mage who was unaffected. However, for some reason we can't find her anymore." That's Annie, alright. Perhaps there is some hope?!

"No need to worry, she belongs to my organization. Soon our American king will arrive here; she's probably calling him right now and giving the locations."

Silenus seems to be at least a bit calmer, and is now willing to return to the scene together with Jack. There can be seen, the monster that is now ruining Saint Lucia:

Meatballs forming the main body, held together with a mesh of spaghetti, and covered in a veil of tomato sauce. Two large eyes stand on the top, giving it a total height of at least forty feet.

"It's… what, exactly?" This is the monster created by a drunken god? What, did Bacchus fuse a bowl of pasta with his divine energy?

"That there was supposed to be a puppet based on the flying spaghetti monster, the supposed enemy of Bacchus' play." Silenus calmly explain the origin of this monster, something that was only invented a few years ago. It's a joke, created by a graduate student to promote logical conjecture in science classrooms. "If we used the image of a real deity than that god might become angered at us, descend from the realm of immortality and cause a ruckus. We resorted to use the only deity that is not worshipped. Because of its lack of prayer, it does not exist in the realm of immortality, and could not harm this event in any way. We did not expect it to become a pseudo-deity of its own."

Ugh, fantastic. Jack is already done with all of this. Taking a seat quite far from the stage he watches what is going on:

"Behold, my true self! I am his holy noodliness, the noodly appendage, but most commonly known as the flying spaghetti monster! Now, I shall eradicate you two from this world!" The flying spaghetti monster gathers energy, even Jack can feel the power vacuum created by this. The monster starts to chant, in what sounds to be the worst possible possibility: "Accept his noodly magnificence into your heart, into your soul, and ye shall forever be free. The soul of spaghettien, the proceeder of meatera, I shall grasp all in existence and bind it to my will!"

No! This can't be true! Just what happened for such a creation to own authorities?!

Jack asks for an explanation, and Silenus is willing to answer: "To make the play better, several pseudo-authorities were installed in the puppet, based on its body parts, which are four: [The Flying] grants it flight and teleportation; [The Meatera] gives in supernatural strength and endurance; [The Saucon] grants it invisibility; the last one is used now, which is [The Spaghettien]. It allows him to bind the dead to this world.

4 authorities, and they all sound like actual authorities. "Are you sure you didn't create an artificial god?" This sound ridiculously powerful for a mere divine beast!

"Well, the authorities have severe limits, and their actual power combined is at best just one authority." Only one authority can be used at a time; [The Flying] leaves it weakened and unable to attack; [The Meatera] is not on the level of the Herculean strength of the [Boar] or [Divine might of Vajrapani]; [The Saucon] merely affects vision; and [The Spaghettien] can only summon the souls of legendary pirates.

And it summoned exactly that. The five legendary pirates have been summoned, along with their crew. Blackbeard, Henry Morgan, Anne Bonny, William Kidd and Francis Drake. Armed to the teeth these spectral ghosts will defend their lord to their death… re-death… something.

Both king and god look less than impressed with this display. They know that this is not a great danger to them, so they do not give it their all. "Is that it?" The young king haughtily makes fun of the opponent, looking down on this power. "Then this will be cleaned up easily."

As the young king speaks she misstep, causing her to fall on one knee. It seems to be a side effect of getting smashed, making this battle a lot harder than needed.

"Easily?" The monster asks, acting just as arrogantly as the godslayer. "What can you do to me if you cannot even stand up?"

"The king laughs evilly, before declaring her goal: "When you get kicked back to your pasta heaven, remember that the one who sent you there was me, Kusanagi Shizuka!"

Kusanagi? No way, it can't be! That's the same name as the seventh king! Could those two be related?

The monster is wondering this too, but instead uses the knowledge to gloat as he forces his pirates to stay on stand-by. "A Kusanagi? Interesting… then this will be the second Kusanagi I kill."

"What are you talking about?" Not intimidated by this claim, Shizuka is merely confused. She wonders what this god could mean with that sentence.

"Perhaps you know about a certain Kusanagi Godou, the seventh king?" The young king looks shocked at that name, unprepared for that knowledge.

"My brother… is the seventh king?" She stumbles backwards, falling on her behind and almost crawling away. But she knows that she must continue listening.

"No, he was the seventh king. Until I killed him, of course." Loudly the young Kusanagi gets up, almost roaring at this news. Pointing an accusing finger at this monster she asks him to explain, which it gleefully does: "I fought him, and just before I slaughtered him he was crying… like a little bitch."

That is most likely not what happened, nor what would happen if the seventh king would ever duel this monster, but it is very effective at getting Shizuka riled up. She starts to bawl in tears, her voice shrilled that it can barely make a sound. Her mouth moves, but no sounds come out of it that Jack can hear.

Out of nowhere a black prismatic stone appears next to Shizuka, around the size of the young king. She stands up firmly, with newfound power she stands up, and a cold flow streams from the black stone. "Hello. My name Kusanagi Shizuka. You killed my brother. Prepare to die." Softly she speaks these words

The pirates are finally ordered to charge, but they're repelled by Shizuka's authority: An immense number of icicles float around her, and they are all aimed at the enemy.

"Hello. My name is Kusanagi Shizuka. You killed my brother. Prepare to die." Her voice strengthened, she is now raining down an onslaught of ice on these pirates. Those armed with cutlasses and sabers are cut down before the can even come close. Those with guns and pistols can still fire, but their bullets are lost in the waves of ice that decimate their bodies. Even the five leaders of this armada find themselves powerless to stop this authority.

"Hello! My name is Kusanagi Shizuka! You killed my brother! Prepare to die!" Shouting these words like a maniac, she is wrecking these pirates. The stage is showered in ice, and only the gargantuan flying spaghetti monster is left.

"Interesting… Kusanagi Shizuka, why don't you join me? Together we can bring spaghetti to this planet."

"We'll never join you!" Bacchus enters the conversation, and shuts down that offer.

"If only you knew the power of the pasta." Bacchus gets ignored by the noodly being, as it continues to try and get Shizuka to join. "Besides, I never truly told you what happened to your brother…"

"You told me enough." Shizuka starts to rage again, the subject of her brother's fake death refreshed. "You told me you killed him!"

"No…" The flying spaghetti monster starts to shine, shrinking down as the remnants of the pirates return to the world of the dead. "…I am your brother."

Standing there is no more monster. There is now an exact copy of the seventh king. He looks precisely the same as in the reports Jack read about him. That being there is Kusanagi Godou. Not even Silenus, the old and wise satyr next to Jack, knows how this happened.

"No… it's not true… that's impossible…" Staggered the young king walks to her brother. She wants to accept it. She wants this. Even if she knows that it is likely a fake, somewhere in her heart she wants this to be reality.

"Search your feelings, you know this to be true…" Shizuka tries to go there, hug his lost brother, but Bacchus holds her back.

Shizuka is screaming for him to let go, but Bacchus is not trusting this monster. Drunk as he is, there's still a sense of instinct instilled in that body.

It was for good reason. Wickedly Godou grins, before a few tentacles shoot from his back and slam into the duo. The monster returns to normal, but this blow was made using [The Meatera], making it powerful enough to knock the duo to the ends of the stage.

Both Shizuka and Bacchus lie down in pain, harmed by this monster. They're wounded from that attack, and only a white stone provides a small bit of healing to them. The monster has enough time to finish them off.

But instead of a quick kill the flying spaghetti monster laughs evilly, assured of his victory. "It is over. My power is near infinite, unbeatable by the likes of mere gods and Campiones. I shall wipe you two out, and make my rule over this planet forever and ever!"

The duo tries to stand up, but somehow doesn't manage to succeed. It's on one half from the attack and the other part from the alcohol, as far as Jack can see.

"Hoho, I think that you've reached a premature conclusion, your pastiness." There, standing on top of one of the stage posts, is none other than Jack's king, John Pluto Smith. Finally! He arrived! Will this charade finally end? "After all, as invincible as you are, you do have one glaring weakness."

Silenus is glad that there's finally another king on the site, and he's even willing to play along! Jack too is glad, hoping that Smith will end this quickly. So, what will the weakness be? Dragon bullets? One of his transformations? At least let it be something that does not harm the people watching this charade.

"I had to delve deep in the spirit world, but I found my answer. The only power that can defeat you… is the power of rock!"

What the hell is he talking about? Smith jumps down, and his unsteady landing tells Jack more than enough: There are now three drunk people at this theatre.

O damn it all!

"You… Smith…" The monster seems to have problems with this newcomer. As powerful as he has become, he's still a slave to Bacchus' energy, and thus also wants to keep the play a play instead of a brawl. This forces the monster to play along with this new knowledge: "it's true, I can be defeated that way. However, you just increased your chances from impossible to still impossible!"

The earth rumbles, and a gigantic synthesizer bursts forth, large enough that even the spaghetti monster could play it. Twenty tentacles of the monster shoot up, hanging above this giant instrument. Four slam down, creating a sound that produced literal shockwaves.

The stage was blown away. All lights, all posts, all props, the only things left are Bacchus and the two kings.

"Hahaha, do you think that your measly rock can outperform my Synthwave {4}? Impossible, impossible I say!"

"I think that you should reconsider that thought." Smith pulls out his magic gun, the only piece of metal that can contain the power of an authority. He throws it up, chanting spell words for a special technique: "The dark march to death, let fitting music accompany you!"

The dark metal transforms, expands, and splits apart. What falls back down is not a weapon anymore, but a functional… drum set?

Shizuka, in her drunken rush, looks at this spectacle, and is not planning to be outdone. Having recovered enough she too joins in with her weapon of choice: "Instrument made from the thunder beast, unsheathe and prepare for battle!" In her hands an azure guitar of at least two meters long appears, and with playing a few strings her body transforms too. Green samurai-like armor that bares the stomach, medium-length blond hair in a ponytail, but the same fierce look in her eyes. She too is ready for this music battle, even if she is not all there in her mind.

Bacchus is the last, and not willing to be outdone he summoned a green-purple bass, completing the trio. A single satyr runs upstage, handing out headset microphones to the them. The satyr disappears as quickly as he came, so the newest band can start their music {5}:

"We are the Last Lords, and we're here to make you think 'bout your dead and kick ass 'n' stuff!" The 'Last Lords', as Bacchus whimsically named themselves, are ready: Bacchus will sing the lyrics and bass of this song, Smith makes the rhythm and Shizuka performs the melody. "This is the beginning of our song:"

"This is the final, here's your last trial~, We'll rescue this world; saving it all from you~ and we're breaching your threshold, overcoming it 'til we win~!" The music becomes so powerful that is sends powerful waves back, turning into wind that tries to blow the flying spaghetti monster away.

"Fighting for mankind, our powers combined~, The ultimate force, bringing it all down~; Breaching your threshold, overcoming it 'til we win~!" The flying spaghetti monster is a bit impressed, but then starts to play with the same rhythm as the trio's song. Quickly he overpowers them, bringing music so powerful that it summons ghosts from the past.

"Your threshold~… your threshold~…" Blackbeard, Henry Morgan, Anne Bonny, William Kidd, Francis Drake; The fleets of these legends have come together as ghosts to form a legendary armada whose size was never seen before or after this event. They all load the cannons with seemingly real brass balls, and are ready to fire.

"Breaching~… your threshold~…" The synthesizer performs a final powerful note, which is a signal for the ghost armada to start firing. A great gross of cannon fire rain down on the Last Lords, ending their music and stopping the song.

Injured by this attack the Last Lords are groaning in pain. They've been beaten down, destroyed in this magic battle.

"I don't suppose that anyone has a plan B?" Bacchus knows that their song just now cannot defeat this monster. If they continue like this… they will certainly be lost.

"Argh, I can't believe this, but my services are needed!" Back on the tribune Silenus next to Jack stands up, seeing his master in trouble. "My loyal instrument, weapon of the lone musician… come forth!" Summoning an acoustic guitar in his hands the satyr starts with his own tune {6}:

"There's just no way that we can win, his plays they sound too great~." Shizuka is doubting whether victory is still possible, but without realizing she already started to sing the song towards victory. "The music from his synth we can't possibly beat~."

"Listen, you two!" Bacchus starts to shout, but quickly falls into the same rhythm as the eighth king: "He will be the pirate king~, and if we don't kill this thing~, then macaroni is the only thing we'll eat~!"

"Guys…" Smith also gets into it, starting to sing along. "This is the final fight~."

"After this we are finished, am I right~?" After Shizuka's line the three renew their spirits with one final line:

"Now it's time to take this monster down~!"

Bacchus and Shizuka get back in, playing their respective instrument to the fullest. Bacchus also starts to sing again, continuing the song: "All right, guys, now it's time to blow doors down~!"

"I hear you Bacchus now it's time to blow doors down~!"

"So let us rock, cause our music takes the crown~!"

"We'll blow his mind and give his body a meltdown~!

Smith; Bacchus; Shizuka. After saying their respective lines, they now band their voice together as one. "Now it's time to take this monster down~!" Smith hits the drums, helping to overpower the sound from his noodliness' synthesizer.

"This is your end, now we will force you to shut down~."

"C'mon, monster, time for the final showdown~!" Bacchus taunts the enemy, daring the flying spaghetti monster to out-sound them. The flying spaghetti monster already knows that if this continues, he will lose. This music… it's exceptionally good.

"No, this is impossible! Why can't I cut them down?!~" The fake god tries and tries, but his music is not enough. The flying spaghetti monster will give the final order: Shoot down the Last Lords, so that he can reign supreme over the world!

The bouldering sound of the cannons is deafening, but they cannot overwhelm the trio. Th continue singing to get to their climax:

"Hey saucy master, this fight is done~! You must disappear~, because we won~!" Two long and slender dragons appear from Smith's drum set, manifestations of the authority he nicked of Artemis. The dragons bite right through the onslaught of metal, not threatened by the power of a mere divine beast, however powerful it is.

"O stone of water~, come and descend~! Now taste the lightning~, this is the end~!" Shizuka summons [Water], adding the power of lightning and electricity to the twin dragons as they soar towards the ghost fleet.

"We will destroy you~, down to the soul~! You are no match for~ our rock and roll~!" Ivy grows on the two oversized reptiles, forming a grassy rug which shoot long vines at the ship, binding them together. The dragons roar, crashing into the immobile ships.

"Our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll~," The chained ships are highly responsive to the lightning, which can spread easily thanks to the flammable vines. Within seconds all ships have burned down.

"Our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll~," The ships may be destroyed, but the dragons are far from satisfied. Turning back towards the flying spaghetti monster the twins have found their true target.

"Our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll~," The monster tries to flee, but it cannot run for long. The oversized synthesizer is destroyed first, and it's clear what will follow soon!

"Our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll, our rock and roll~," The monster is caught, now trying a futile attempt at blocking. As the monster blocks this attack the dragons push the flying spaghetti monster into the sky, just like fireworks.

"Our rock and roll!" Eventually the guard breaks, but not before the monster is several hundred meters in the air. The monster body is invaded by the dragons, who try to destroy this enemy from the inside. The flying spaghetti monster swells larger and larger, trying ever harder not to rupture and die from this attack.

"Illogical! Impossible! What is this? No, this cannot beeeeeeee!" The monster couldn't hold it together anymore and quickly explodes, turning into a shower of delicious pasta. It rains down over the entire town, though the stage seems to be largely unharmed.

A small faint whisper can be heard, coming from the youngest king: "We did it…"

Then she falls on the ground, along with Bacchus and Smith, having used their remaining energy for this feat. The alcohol finally takes its last toll as the trio falls in a deep slumber.

The humans who were controlled by Bacchus' natural power also fall unconscious, the link that kept them awake now gone. They will wake up again in a few hours, with no memory of what happened or why they're on a spaghetti-covered beach.

"So, I guess we satyrs are forced to take care of our master." With a resigned shrug Silenus accepts his lot, making one final request:

"Can you take care of the two godslayers? We're not responsible for what happened to them, so if you would?"

"Of course, it seems to be only fitting." Just as resigned as Bacchus' satyrs, Jack has accepted his role as Smith's sidekick. It's back to doing menial tasks for his lord.

In the end, it's just another job for the masked superhero's sidekick…

-x-

 _22_ _nd_ _of December, morning, unknown location._

Pain… pain, pain, pain. Shizuka feels horrendous. Her head seems to be splitting apart, sweat is running over her back, mouth feels cracked and dry, a bit of dizziness, and feeling as fit as someone who just ran the marathon. Ugh, there's also a chance that she must puke.

"Hey…kay? King, are…you?" Someone seems to speak to her, if they mean a Campione with the word king. Shizuka tries to speak back, but all that comes out of her mouth is an indescribable groan.

The senses other than hearing also regain their function, telling her that she is lying down on something soft while staring up at a wooden ceiling. Rolling on her side she sees she's lying on a bed in what appears to be a hotel room. There's a desk, a door with a number on it, a painting that is quite gaudy, and a chair filled with the only other person in the room.

It's a man in his late twenties, and if Shizuka had to say he looks rather…normal. Just your average run-of-the-male Caucasian male, just a dime in a dozen you can find anywhere on the streets of America and Europe. Concentrating a bit harder on this man tells Shizuka that she's in fact dealing with quite the talented mage.

"Ah, good. You're awake. After that debacle of yesterday I was worried that some disaster would follow, but a crisis seems to have been averted." He speaks with stoic tone, though there are clear hints of irritation. Is Shizuka the cause of this?

…

No good. As much as Shizuka tries to remember about yesterday she cannot recall anything important. She was sunbathing, then Bacchus arrived, and then… blank. What the hell did she do?

"Who are you? And what happened here?" Often asked questions by amnesiacs, this man is willing to answer them:

"As for your first question, my name is Jack Milburn. I work for the Los Angeles branch of the Sorcerous Sacrilege Investigation. We're a government agency in charge of investigating and concealing all incidents pertaining magic and supernatural phenomena in the united states. Now as for what happened… it's a long story, but to put it in simple terms: two godslayers and a god got very, very, drunk."

"Ungh…" Shizuka throws her head in her hands, being rather embarrassed by this situation. Clearly one of those godslayers is herself, considering that she has all the symptoms of a hangover. Please, please don't let there be anything stupid Shizuka did in her drunken stupor. "What… exactly did I do?"

Jack doesn't say anything, but simply points to the window. Shizuka, half-afraid that she managed to destroy the city in a drunken frenzy, stumbles towards the light shining through the glass. From that she can make a small guess at what just went on here.

"The hell is that?!"

The window has a view of the beach, being about two hundred meters away from Shizuka's current location. However, it can't be called a beach anymore. Several things litter the beach. Some seem to be long wooden pillars, scattered around over the length of the beach. There's also quite some abnormal sand-colored strings, along with a gargantuan amount of what appears to be… blood?

"What kind of massacre occurred here?!" Did she just murder an entire country in her sleep? What kind of atrocity did she perform together with Bacchus?!

"Yes, that's the first thing I would think of too if I saw that." Jack sees Shizuka's surprised face, and knows that he should inform the eighth king about the truth: "However, you don't need to worry. It's just tomato sauce." Oh, how far his noodly appendage has fallen. For [The Saucon], the veil that makes him invisible, to have been reduced to mere tomato sauce.

Shizuka looks at the mage, wondering whether she is being fooled here. Stoically Jack assures her that no really, that red stuff is just leaked tomato sauce.

"How did I manage to do that?" Shizuka is now seriously wondering how she did this. Hangovers shouldn't be this bad normally. The worst-case scenario is when you find out your wallet has been stolen, or something like that. Is this level of destruction normal for an unrestrained king? "Just what did I do yesterday?"

"As far as I get it, you had a drinking contest with heretic Bacchus. You two both got drunk, and for some reason this ended with both of you becoming actors in a play." Is Jack serious? Okay, the situation already is absurd, considering that there is a massive outburst of tomato sauce; However, even that seems normal compared to this explanation. "Then a divine beast based on the flying spaghetti monster appeared. The origins of it are… better left unspoken of."

…Okay, now Shizuka begins to doubt the story. The flying spaghetti monster. Does such a joke count in the real world? Is there actually a sect that reveres a god made of pasta? Can such a beast exist outside of the mockery it was made for?

Jack Milburn continues to give the same emotionless face, proof that he is not lying. Shizuka has to trust him for now, so he allows Jack to continue speaking: "At the same time my lord, the masked superhero known as John Pluto Smith, got drunk too and joined in on your play. When he combined with your and Bacchus' power you blew up the monster, covering the city in splats of pasta."

Ugh… Shizuka has heard enough. She has been acting the fool, and this is the consequence. She asks for some food, and Milburn complies.

After a late lunch that did improve Shizuka's condition she stands up, ready to face the world. After all, there is a certain father who needs to be relocated. Knowing him he's probably sulking in a corner that he lost his daughter in the crowd, so he needs to be reunited.

Shizuka walks out of the hotel, only to find that person again.

"Hey, Shizuka! Over here!" Waving there is none other than the god who caused this debacle. He invites Shizuka over to join him and the other man standing there, a tall guy in mask and costume. Going by Jack's description, this is most likely the man known as John Pluto Smith, America's own king.

"Good morning, Bacchus." Staying polite Shizuka greets the god warmly, but also extends a warm welcome to her peer: "And the same goes to you, mister Smith. I see you've become quite familiar with one another."

"With this guy here? Isn't it obvious, we get along swimmingly! I mean, just look at him:" Bacchus points at the fifth king, whose smile stays hidden behind the mask. "That outfit, that mask, those manners, that air of mystery… He's perfect!"

Bacchus has nothing but compliments for the fifth king, and the feeling is mutual. John Pluto Smith also likes the company of the god of wine, so they are a pretty good match.

"Yes… I can see it. The start of my ultimate art, the movie to outdo all other movies!" Bacchus already sees what the future holds for the two of them. Bacchus starts to speak like a narrator, showing the introduction he made up for his own idea: "One is the superhero of Los Angeles, an ordinary human who became the fifth devil king after slaying a god; He is joined by the Roman god of wine, descended from the world of immortality for the sake of his goals. Together, they fight supernatural crime! They… are Pluto and Bacchus!"

Shizuka doesn't care about this stupid idea. It doesn't affect her and it doesn't affect Tokyo, so she can ignore this all. On the other hand, she is interested for why Smith agreed to this stupid plan.

"One such as myself must be a hero both in reality and in fiction. Whether it's an actual enemy or a delusional play, both are equally important to me." Smith does care about his image as a hero. He's just as much of a show-off as Bacchus, but simply never thought about receiving popularity through fiction. For the sake of that new goal he's even willing to take care of Bacchus in Los Angeles, albeit with a few limitations: "Of course, between movies our friend will have to take refuge in the netherworld. Heretic gods cannot roam freely without causing destruction to the populace."

"Yes yes, I will, I will, I promise." Hurriedly Bacchus confirms this statement, as if he wants to get out of here as quickly as possible. Shizuka can make an elaborate guess why:

"Then what about the mess we made? Who should clean that up?"

"It is regrettable, but staying wouldn't fit the style of John Pluto Smith if he would stay here." Shizuka's fellow king is the first to make excuses, running away from cleaning duty. When the curtain falls upon the stage, the actor must exit. When the battle concludes, the hero and devil king must also vanish."

Damn it, don't make up lousy excuses full of hot air just to slip out of menial labor! Shizuka's anger about this isn't just aimed at Smith, as Bacchus makes the same kind of excuses: "And I need to join him. We do need to get started on our project, after all, and he cannot start without me." Just as Shizuka starts to nag about this, Bacchus gives the most compelling argument against Shizuka's case: "Besides, the only one who wants and can stop us from returning to his country is you, little king. You could try to stop us, but are you willing to fight another battle against the both of us together?"

Shizuka hates to say this, but she is forced to let them go. A battle would be catastrophically worse compared to Saint Lucia's current problems, and she hasn't recovered enough to start another battle. Therefore, she gives up. She concludes this discussion with her loss. Smith too sees that his peer gave up, and stretches out a hand of friendship.

"Milady, please take care, though who knows when we shall meet again. If possible, I, John Pluto Smith, wish to never meet as enemies. How about a suggestion that we part here not as peers, but as allies? What do you say?"

Shizuka has no reason to deny that suggestion, and reaches for the outstretched hand to accept it. Bacchus however must interrupt this, having a few final words to say of his own: "No, there's still one thing left, my friend." Bacchus starts to smile wickedly, for the first time since Shizuka met him he gives off an evil aura, telling Smith about his latest plan: "I'm going to make her an offer she can't refuse."

-x-

{1} Because otherwise no one would get this: "This god is attracting all the ladies! I'll be honest with you, no sugar coating: I'll sent pretty girls like you crying back to your parents after having sex with you. Now, ready to take this risk, my girl?" Basically, Bacchus is saying that his raps will entrance Shizuka and make her willing to have a one-night stand with him.

{2} Maenad: The female retainers of Bacchus, often associated with the nymphs who nursed Bacchus as a child. Meaning "raving ones", it is said that women who join his cult become summonable by Bacchus after his death.

{3} Dick Grayson: One of the characters in the Batman comics. He was the original Robin starting in 1940, but eventually became the superhero Nightwing, even sometimes taking on the mantle of Batman.

{4} Synthwave: A music style that originated in the mid-2000s, based on 1980s synthpop and new wave.

{5} To the music of "Sex Bob-omb – Threshold"

{6} To the music of the latter part of "Tenacious D – Beezleboss (The Final Showdown)"

-x-

Are you all now angry at me because I lied to you, somewhere along the lines of "How dare you deceive us with that drunken musical? We wanted an actual meeting between the two sibling kings!"

To them I say, this is my job! I'm not supposed to spoil you guys in giving away the story. However, this does not mean that I will ever lie to you. Whatever I say here is and will always be the truth, but you will never understand it.

Now, for those of you worrying that I'm trying to prevent the two kings from ever meeting, or at least until I've reached a certain follower amount: Trust me, I'm not. I'm planning for that to happen in the same arc where Shizuka obtains her second authority. Now, let's all look a bit back at Godou's first five books:

First there's the road to kingship (Volume 3), then there's a major battle involving Athena (Volume 1), then there is a battle with another godslayer (Volume 2), followed by battle with a showy Greco-Roman god far away from Japan (Volume 4) and Godou obtains his second authority from a Japanese deity in Volume 5. Now let's look at Shizuka:

Road to kingship (Chapter 1-3), Battle involving Athena (Chapter 4-6), Battle with the godslayer (Chapter 7-9) and a battle with a showy Greco-Roman god far away from Japan (Chapter 10-12). Now, if I reveal that in the next arc (Chapter 13-15) a Japanese god will be fought, and we will see Shizuka wielding multiple authorities… I reckon that you can make an elaborate guess.

Now, on to the other part I want to talk about. People have called this arc a bit wacky, zany even. Well, that's what drives this arc. I try to make every arc seem different from one another, kind of like a story within a story. The first arc was an introduction arc; The second was entirely focused on big battles between many opponents; The third was a more of a slice of life, with Doni there to have some action. Now it's time for a lighter arc, which adds a bit of humor to the dealings with the divine. For those who finds the large two chapters a bit light, don't worry: from chapter 13 onwards it will go in a different, less-humorous direction.

But what do we get then? Perhaps we get a supernatural murder mystery, or maybe a god who reverses the meaning of gods and godslayers, or something else entirely! Who knows? Every arc has a different focus, yet keeps the world of Campione alive. Let's wait until that future arrives.

Finally, the author does not approve of any form of binge drinking as shown in this chapter. It is a very serious problem that can cause devastating destruction to the brain, and is in no form of shape a cool thing to do. Please do not binge drink yourself, and only partake beverages modestly.


	12. Lights, Camera, Action!

_18 January 2011, Wednesday, late afternoon, Kusanagi residence._

It does not happen often that one comes back from a vacation felling worse than before. For Shizuka it's not just the physical condition that got worse. There is no doubt that her little adventure with Bacchus was quite exhausting, and it only got worse from there. When Shizuka returned home, ready to see her reformed brother… she only found a relapse.

There was Godou, completely like before, with multiple girls at his side. He acted in his old ways again, and every improvement made last December was completely ruined.

In fact, when Shizuka heard that in her absence Godou went to a hot springs resort in the mountains with multiple girls, the younger Kusanagi sibling was quite pissed. She made sure to scold Godou properly, even though Godou kept claiming that he did nothing inappropriate at that location.

Eventually it all died down, as the holidays were over and a new term at school started. Both of them have to put their attention to school, Shizuka especially with all the days she misses acting as a Campione. If there's nothing that requires her attention, then she will not need to act as a king.

Thus, Shizuka followed her ordinary lifestyle once more: Go to school, make homework, do stuff around the house and have generic fun. Today seemed to go the same way, but a single letter wanted to interfere with that idea.

Shizuka had just finished the preparations for cooking when she hears something land on the floormat. There's in general only one thing that can mean: The Kusanagi residence got mail. Walking over to the entrance she sees quite the large pile of post, and it would be useful to sort this out. As she walks back to the living room she sorts everything out, based on who the recipient is.

Junk mail, junk mail, bills for gramps, letter for gramps, more junk mail, and two near-identical letters of slightly different weights, with the one intended for Shizuka being slightly lighter than that of her brother.

Since gramps is not yet home Shizuka leaves his letters on the table with the useless spam, before loudly calling the other inhabitant that is here: "Onii-chan! There's post for you!"

Godou seems to have heard his little sister, and quickly he enters the living room. Shizuka hands Godou's letter to him, and then she opens her own.

Inside is are four tickets that Shizuka recognizes as movie tickets. Seats 14-17, row F, first screen, at Toho Cinemas Shinjuku _{1}_. It's also screening soon; these tickets must be used next Saturday for the movie "Pluto  & Bacchus vs. The King of Flies". Yeah, she doesn't need a second guess to determine the sender.

A letter inside of the envolope confirms this, as the fifth king personally wrote a letter to Shizuka:

 _To Kusanagi Shizuka, the eighth Campione._

 _How are you doing, my friend! As for how it's going back here, you can probably already guess from the contents of the envelope: The movie we worked on is finished. Pluto & Bacchus will be the first movie of what is going to be a long series._

 _As for the debt we own you: John Pluto Smith swears on his name that he always pays his dues. For you we have the following present: 4 tickets to the premiere of our movie. Perhaps a small present, but surely one you will enjoy._

 _As one who holds secrecy in high regard, this king assures you that an excuse for obtaining these tickets has been arranged. Bacchus came with the idea to raffle one auditorium's worth of tickets to the inhabitants of Tokyo, with prizes ranging between the two and five tickets. You can act as if you were merely lucky receiving this prize._

 _Now, let us hope that you find enjoyment in the fruits of our labour. Do not be afraid, I'm personally guarantee that the quality of this movie is far higher than the Caribbean fiasco._

 _With kind regards,_

 _John Pluto Smith._

Well… that's a nice gift from them. Going to the movies, it's a pleasure that's neither too common to be boring yet still not too extreme that others won't find any pleasure in it. It's perfect for going through an ordinary weekend.

Even better is that Smith seems to function as a restraining factor to Bacchus. That god is too easily exited, making pieces of art that alienate all but himself. Now the creation might be something good for once!

Now who to take with her? Two tickets will go to gramps and Godou, obviously. As for the last ticket, how about a childhood friend of both siblings, Tokunaga Asuka? She comes closest to someone the entire family knows and accepts, unlike the other girls Godou goes with.

Speaking of Godou, what was his letter about? The two envelopes seemed quite similar, so could it mean that he too obtained tickets for the movie? Shizuka's hypothesis is proven correct when she sees her brother holding some tickets in his hands. Yep, both siblings got their hands on their own pair of tickets.

"Onii-chan, are those tickets for the newest movie of Pluto & Bacchus?"

Godou holds up his own set of tickets, which look the same as those of Shizuka. "Yeah, it seems so. You won some in the raffle too?"

"Yeah, I've won four tickets right now. I guess we both lucked out here." Unbeknownst to each other neither of them won their tickets by luck. Smith send out tickets to all of his fellow Campione, a small courtesy to those he might be fighting alongside with in the future. The exceptions who were not invited are Luo Hao and Madame Aisha. The former has been rejected entry due to a severe dislike of technology, and because she would destroy at least some part of the city hosting the movie if she would go; The latter has the mayor problem that Smith has no clue where she is, meaning that there is nowhere to send tickets to.

The other kings did receive their tickets. Doni accepted his two tickets gracefully, though he had to choose between bringing his friend or a girlfriend. After some heavy "persuading" Andrea managed to get a ticket for himself.

Gascoigne is too much of a workaholic to go, but princess Alice of the Witenagemot was pleasantly surprised when as mysterious donator gave her three tickets to the movie.

Voban, eldest of the current kings, gave an arrogant glare at the ticket. Letting out a sigh, he starts contemplating about the current state of devil kings and their mockery of kingship. He's still going, though.

The two youngest kings are probably going too, but they both need to reschedule who is going to take the rest of the tickets. Seven tickets left, 3 for Shizuka and 4 for Godou. Shizuka doesn't know who she is going to pick, but she can easily conclude who Godou is going to pick: "Well then, Onii-chan, wouldn't now not be a good time to disprove your claims of womanizing."

"Why do I specifically need to show that those claims are false when anyone can see they are obviously false?" Godou gives a sigh of exasperation, clearly having had enough of these false rumors.

"Perhaps we do not consider them false at all because all the evidence is pointing in their favour. If you want to get a truth that you prefer you need to work to get to it, Onii-chan."

"Even so, it's only natural for the truth to eventually resurface. If I act normal everyone will eventually see the truth." Godou stands fast in his morals, while Shizuka does not believe a second of it.

"Then let's see you acting normal. Miura, Nakayama… those guys, it is quite normal to go to the cinema with some male friends. Though knowing you I have this gut feeling that you'll fail at doing just that."

"Shizuka, it's rude to insult someone else like that, even if he is your brother." Even though Godou dislikes Shizuka's words he does sees some useful advice in it: "But you're correct. I think I'll go and take those guys with me. It will be a nice to hang out with them once more."

"Then how about some extra incentive to make sure you keep that promise, onii-chan?" Shizuka would also like this development, so she is ready to invest a bit into it. "If you show up at the cinema with only male friends I'll pay for all the food costs you and your friends make."

"And if I can't keep this promise then I must pay for your group, obviously." Godou understands Shizuka's plan perfectly, and agrees with it. It shouldn't be so hard to get his friends together, right?

The two shake on it, promising to hold their end of the bargain no matter the result. Now it's just a matter of time to see which one is right.

-x-

 _January 21_ _st_ _, at the cinema_

Just like Godou decided to go with his friends, so too did Shizuka decide to go with hers. It's just a movie, after all, and she needs to make up for missing out on her classmates during her moments of kingship.

Shizuka invited her usual clique to join her to this place. They were overjoyed at the news, and thanked the young king profoundly. She's glad she got four tickets, any less and she wouldn't be able to invite everyone. Well, originally her group considered out of six people, but… she cannot exactly invite those who have died.

Chitose and Kazashi… those two became sacrifices on Shizuka's road to kingship. To this day, she can still feel pangs of sadness that those two are not around anymore.

That just leaves Yui, Miki and Kuniko as the friends who can watch the movie. They all accepted the invitation, so now Shizuka is waiting for them at the train station. It's still a twenty-minute train ride from the nearby station to Shinjuku, so it would be a lot more fun to meet before it then afterwards.

The first one to arrive is probably the person Shizuka is closest with, Igarashi Yui. A petite girl, even shorter than Shizuka even though she's older by almost a full year.

"Shizuka-chan! Over here!" Shizuka looks in the direction of the voice, and sees a hand trying to stand out from the crowd. That must be Yui then.

Shizuka walks over to her friend, and Yui does the same. As they are close they give each other small nods as they greet each other warmly:

"Yui-chan, it's good to see you. It wasn't too heavy a trip?"

"Don't worry about it so much. In fact, it's such a good model that I barely notice the difference!" The two are talking about Yui's foot, or to be precise prosthetic foot. During the incident at Niseko several of the classmates suffered heavy injuries, including Yui. Her left leg was cut off and destroyed in the onslaught back there. The medical world would advise cleaning up and a prosthesis. As for the magical world, their recommendation would be the same: While they can repair broken bones or even reattach severed body parts, they cannot make a leg out of nothing. The only person capable of that is the very whimsical Madame Aisha, who is impossible to contact.

Shizuka would not let her friend's life be ruined by such disadvantages, so after some "light nudging" with the association she managed to get Yui as a test subject for a "prototypic automotive trans-femoral prosthesis". To the layman, it seems like the latest technological advance in bio-robotics. A mage on the other hand would see that the only reason it functions at all is the magic items imbued in the false leg.

Now Yui can live a normal life again, her new leg even allowing for heavy activity. Shizuka won't have to worry about her friend's health anymore.

"In that case, it isn't wrong to assume that everything is well with you, right?" Shizuka asks this question, but is surprised when she hears a short break in Yui's breath. She does give an answer, but it feels a bit forced.

"Yeah, everything is fine over here." Yui continues talking with a half-forced smile, this time asking about where the other two are.

"Those two haven't arrived yet, as far as I know." Shizuka cuts off the question before continuing with the topic she selected: "However, haven't we been friends for multiple years now? Do you not think I cannot see when something is bothering you?"

Seeing that her face is broken Yui decides to tell the truth: "Well, Shizuka-chan… it's about my father. Yesterday… it was his last day at work."

In other words, he's been fired. Shizuka understands the situation perfectly. "If I know your father well than he should be job-hunting already, willing to do any kind of job. I don't think that there is anything to worry about."

"Well, the newspapers do say that there was quite the economic downfall in the last few months. Where should he be able to find something quickly? As it stands now, the trip us two planned for golden week cannot go through!"

"I could always ask my mom. Her company can always use a few extra hands in the business."

"That would be fantastic!" Yui's face starts to glisten, before she starts to wonder: "Say, what kind of business does your mother run?"

…

That's actually a good question. Shizuka herself doesn't exactly know the answer to that. "A lot… and let's keep it at that."

Now Yui looks a bit concerned, hoping that this isn't some trap that make her father slave away in illegal work. "Are you sure those jobs are legal?"

"…Probably." Shizuka cannot guarantee that. "Moreover, so long as it's not outright illegal, it's better to work even if there is a bit of risk."

Yui doesn't follow anymore, having a much lower understanding of work and economics compared to her friend. Instead she simply agrees in resignation: "Then I will trust in you, Shizuka-chan."

With the conversation over Yui looks at the clock, and see that the train is leaving in three minutes.

"They're late." Shizuka exclaims, still not seeing any sign of Miki or Kuniko. "Don't they know that the train will leave soon?"

"Ah, wait, they're coming!" Yui is pointing to two girls, who Shizuka and Yui recognizes as their two friends. It was about time. Quickly the other duo meet up with the other two, swiftly entering the train.

On the way to the cinema they talk about ordinary stuff: Fashion, food, boyfriends (which all four of them vehemently deny to have), the movie itself, and a few other things. It all goes in a bit of a rush, and eventually the four reach the cinema. Here Shizuka sees a surprise of her own:

"As much as I hoped against it, all seems to have gone according to my expectations." Shizuka turns to her friends, telling the good news: "Everyone, drinks and snacks are at the cost of my brother here."

There is Godou, walking with what is clearly not his male friends. Erica, Mariya-sempai, Liliana… the black-haired one whose name Shizuka forgot… four people surround Godou who are all very clearly not male.

Godou walks to his sister, having an excuse ready about why he lost: "I won't deny that I've lost our bet, Shizuka, but trust me when I say that I had the full intent on winning."

"Hoh?" Shizuka is only half believing that story, having full knowledge of her brother's shenanigans. "How is bringing those four girlfriends of yours similar to bringing four male friends with you? Onii-chan, please enlighten me on this point."

Murmurs from behind Shizuka tell her that her friends are currently gossiping about the situation. Ugh, if only she had lost this battle, her victory is way too pyrrhic.

Godou meanwhile starts to explain his situation, and why exactly he ended up in this situation. "Look, I have called every single male friend I have, and for some reason not a single one was available. I've even tries a few people who go no further than acquaintances, and even they could not come."

"And in the end, you decided to take all your lovers with you. Truly a magnificent feat of debauchery, you're surpassing your own records every day."

"A-As I said, Shizuka, it isn't like that." The siblings are ready to argue a bit, but suddenly Erica joins in on the conversation.

"Hey Godou, it isn't good for someone like you to put higher value on food and money than on your lover, Erica Blandelli." Spoken with a devilish charm, there was also a clear hint of cold scolding worked in Erica's voice. It's obvious that she did not like this bet he made. "Even if you obtain more than two tickets, a movie is something for those in love to enjoy together, is it not?"

"E-Erica, please hold on. Even if those words are true, I believe that his willingness to stick to promises he made an actively pursue victory are some of his good points, and some leeway should be given." Yuri also joined the conversation, coming to the defence of the seventh king. Godou almost cries out Yuri's name, but suddenly he gets small lecture from a stern and righteous Mariya: "However, it does you no good to try and make excuses for your failures, while making us feel like second choices. For a man to say those cowardly words, it is virtually the same as smearing mud on your face."

Godou cringes at those words, knowing fully well what the hime-miko means. Meanwhile the other miko also joins the conversation, jovially discussing Godou's failure. "Yep, you're absolutely correct, Yuri. Though to be fair it isn't easy for anyone to win when the odds are against you." And with odds, Ena means Erica and herself. When the Diavolo Rosso found out about the tickets and the bet through some… underhanded methods, she called Ena for a grand plan to make Godou lose and get the king's four supporters by his side in the cinema. This fits in perfectly in the nature of the black-haired maiden, and by using several methods the duo prevented Godou from succeeding in his goal.

Keeping this is a secret from her lord Ena is merely grinning at everyone, while Shizuka has not a single good word left. It's Liliana who breaks everyone up, telling that the movie is going to start soon.

Instead of ordering for nine persons Godou simply gives his sister 4000 yen _{2}_ , enough to buy snacks for 4.

The group waits in the line together, and when it's their turn they order a small variety of food: two large bags of popcorn, in the flavours curry and caramel; Four hotdogs, one for each; As for drinks, they order two coke, a lemon soda and a strawberry milkshake. After Shizuka uses her brother's money to pay for it all they go to their seats, where they sit through the ads to finally see the movie:

-x-

The movie opens in the winter of the year 2000, in a place called the Iztaccihuatl mountain ridge _{3}_. It takes place in a closed open-pit mine, where snow forms a white blanket covering everything. Even though it is closed for the rest of the winter season the mine is not calm, for around a giant magic circle several hooded mages stand. These men and women chant in old Aztec, causing the circle to glow slightly more with every repetition of the same two sentences.

Suddenly the chanting is interrupted by the sound of gunfire, and two of the cultists have their head pierced by bullets. Other mages enter from the outer parameter, these using a combination of technology and the supernatural to subdue these cultists.

The cultist purely use magic, firing offensive powers ranging from lightning to fireballs to blades of winds at the enemy. They do surprisingly well, combining defensive magic with offensive magic to hold their ground. However, bit by bit they start losing, as for every mage that gets killed another seems to pop up from over the mountain, while the number of cultists is finite.

When another of the cultists get burned alive his neighbour had enough. Calling out to two other survivors he orders them to prepare "that".

"Sir, are you saying…" The two other cultists ask about "that" with all due respect, but their words get interrupted by the commandeering voice of the third:

"The resurrection of our lord has top priority! Even at the cost of our lives, we must bring him glory. Even if we die he would simply resurrect us from the underworld! Don't worry and just do it!"

With this reassurance the two cultist pull out a black mirror, chanting words to activate it's effect: "Oh smoking mirror, symbol of Tezcatlipoca! For I am poor, let me obtain richness through sacrifice!"

The moment they finish the incantation purplish-black smoke is released from the mirror, spreading over the mine. All those who try to use magic find that ability sealed, except for the two users of the mirror. They scream it out in pain, a cost for using such power.

The mages adapt to the situation, switching from their hybrid style of fighting to using purely firearms. The cultists on the other hand give up all hope of victory, and simply go to their final solution:

"Now, my brethren, for the sake of our lord Tezcatlipoca, let us sacrifice everything we have. All mages start to chant, but instead of using magic to summon their lord they use themselves as sacrifice. A curse that does not use magic energy as fuel, their way to circumvent the power they just used.

The cultists suffer from random explosions over their body, gore splattering out of them. Others get shot with bullets, from mages who try to stop this final gambit.

It doesn't take long before only a final cultist is left, but against all odds he succeeded with his goal! The loyalty the cultist has shown gives him a final reward: he is given a final glimpse of his summon before dying himself:

There stands a colossal titan of at least fifteen meters tall. His skin is black, and he is dressed is a brightly coloured red garb adorned with feathers. His right hand holds a lance, and in his left hand is a shiny black shield. With a single raise of his spear lighting rains down, destroying parts of the mine and the people inside.

"Flee! We are too late! A god has descended!" One man in military clothes shouts these words before getting struck down by another bolt of lightning. The god calls upon the powers of the storm, destroying his surroundings indiscriminately. All the mages try to flee, but most of them are caught in the maelstrom.

Two men are hunkered down behinds a building, also belonging to the same militaristic group as the one who was just shot down. The first one is a somewhat older man in his forties, with hair that starts to grey a bit and a standard posture. He's the most panicked of the two, and clearly lets it be known to his partner:

"Damn it! What can we do now? If we had known that these cultists could speed up the ritual… Damn it all!"

The second man is not quite as afraid, but some fear can be read from his face. It's a man of average height and a decently muscled body for someone in his mid-twenties, though that's not visible under the military armour. Short brown hair with a slightly longer tuft on top, along with brown eyes and a stubble.

"Mike, focus!" Slapping his partner the brown-haired man keeps both distracted from the fear and danger. "That is indeed a god, the most powerful and dangerous type of being in existence. However, I refuse to believe that any situation is hopeless! Even now, we must be able to do something to decrease the damage!"

Mike's eyes seem clearer and more courageous, though he's still afraid. "Gabe, we… we could retreat. Fall back, and get in contact with the world. We can contact something that can deal with this god, and have him solve this. Now all we need to do is escape…"

Mike and Gabe look around them, but see little possibilities: The cliffs are too steep and bare to climb with these winds and lightning. The official exit? No, too far away. What else…

Gabe points towards another location, an emergency exit that's a lot closer. The duo shake their heads at each other, and make a run for it. Dodging the unstable footing and places where lightning strikes the duo keep running. Around them their allies are panicking, unsure what to do. Some are fleeing, others are praying, some just stand there in a confused daze, but for the giant god it does not matter; All of them die where they stand.

The exit is close, and the two can feel success, but it quickly turns into tragedy. They are only several meters away from the exit when lightning strikes down, incinerating Mike and throwing Gabe against a nearby wall.

After taking a few seconds to regain consciousness Gabe checks on Mike's body, but he finds his partner dead. Burned beyond recognition, The old warrior-mage cannot even get a good funeral in this state.

Gabe looks at his friend, tears welling in his eyes. Soon those tears turn into hatred and rage, rage at this god who took away someone he cared about. "They say that gods are invincible, not even in the same dimension as humans…" Softly he whispers those words to himself, gathering power within. "But I won't accept that. No, I cannot accept it! How could I, Gabriel Bishop, flee over the corpse of my friend? Impossible!"

Gabriel stands up, his idea of fleeing completely gone. He looks at the god, who is mindlessly destroying everything around him. He only kills randomly and half-heartedly, so much does he look down on humans. But if it's like that…

"Well, I've always wanted to be a hero." Gabriel looks around, having completely forgotten about fleeing. Now his mind has gone the way of the fool, purely thinking about defeating this god.

Next to the exit he sees a shack, with several mining tools inside. In fact, he sees exactly the type of tool he needs:

Explosives. The proper use is to take a delicate balance of several different kinds of explosives so that you only destroy your target and nothing else, but that safety advice can go out the window for this job. Gabriel takes a quick look around him, and sees quite a bit of TNT and dynamite around him. Most of it is meant for remote-controlled detonation, with the explosives functioning on radio waves. With one press of the detonator every activated piece will explode, a function simple enough that even Gabriel understand it.

Seeing around 500 packages of explosives around he activates 200 of them inside the shack, and using a spell to improve the lifting of heavy weights he takes the other activated charges outside. Thanks to the spell the explosives that are twice his weight are no carried as if they weighed as much as a standard backpack, capable of being lifted with ease.

Looking at the outside situation it does not seem well for the human mages. It seems that they have literally been decimated. There are, if Gabriel may make estimations, at best only ten to fifteen of the mages left, and if this continues it will drop down to zero! No, someone must make a move to save the remaining lives.

Gabriel sprints around the mine, dodging the weather as best as possible while throwing activated charges all around the mine. He tries to run through the entire mine, dropping the explosives equally along the way in packs of ten.

It all seems to go relatively well: While some of the other mages died by the god's hands, Gabriel on the other hand has already placed two-thirds of the explosives. With this amount of luck his plan has a chance of working!

Just as Gabriel thinks about his luck he quakes in fear, as he now has the attention of the god. That god, seeing that there is a human in front of him, he lazily makes some effort to kill this human. Directing bolts of lightning at Gabriel the god now tries to kill this mage who nearly escaped his sight.

Okay, new plan! Gabriel cannot finish his original plan before dying, so he adapts to the situation. He drops all the activated explosives he carried on him, and takes a sprint right at the god himself.

He jumps down cliffs of several meters, parkouring his way to the god in front of him. His body gets bruised, parts get broken, but using whatever remains he quickly makes his way to the god.

Said god, realizing that all humans but this one are dead, now gives his full attention to the last human that now recklessly charges.

He has multiple authorities that could slay this human easily. If he truly wanted to this human would be dead now. However, to go serious against a human? For a god, such an idea sounds ridiculous!

The god turns his spear into several bolts of lightning, shooting them all at this human. Hew fires one at this mortal, but instead of an impalement the human weaves around it with some inhuman luck. It should not matter, for the blast damage from impact should destroy this mortal completely…

Except it doesn't. Using tenacity and a spell of protection Gabriel can ride the explosive wave, clearing the distance between god and men. His back is bleeding, clearly suffering damage from the attack, but he keeps going.

He's only a few meters away from the god, but he cannot harm this deity. It's a god, after all, and they are immune to mortal weapons. No, his purpose is to grab the one item the cultists left behind, that magic-inhabiting mirror!

The god Tezcatlipoca raises his foot, planning to crush this human like an ant. A fitting punishment for humans who come too close to the rulers of this world. Said human ignores the impending doom and keeps running, even if the foot comes crashing down at his location.

Gabriel dives at the mirror and grabs it, a movement that allows him to barely dodge the foot. However, the sheer wind pressure of that attack throws him into a nearby wall, making him cough up blood.

"Human, ceasest this folly, thy feeble attempt at life is pathetic." The voice of the giant deity is booming and arrogant, aware that there is nothing here to match him. The only playthings here are these humans, and all but one of them has died. "Thou hast angered the god of the night, Tezcatlipoca, for this one's servants were slaughtered by those hands of thee. Thy fate is sealed. Acceptest thy death with glory."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot accept that." Gabriel puts the mirror in front of him, chanting the same spell words that he heard the final cultist chant: "Oh smoking mirror, symbol of Tezcatlipoca! For I am poor, let me obtain richness through sacrifice!"

Gabriel starts to shout out in pain, glowing energy representing his life force sucked into the mirror as smoke gets released form the mirror, covering the mine once more.

The god knows the effect of this power, but ignores it. "So? Thou choosest painful death for what sake? To temporarily bereft one of his power? Still one stayest immortal to those weapons of thy kin. What didst thou change to thy fate?"

"I don't doubt that no human weapon can harm you, that's common knowledge." Gabriel speaks in ragged tone, a body that looks broken from that single power. "However, what about the extremities of winter? Hundreds of tonnes of snow, ash and rock; Wouldn't even a god die by being crushed by that?"

"Thou… thou impliest!" For the first time the god looks flustered, as if this human has found some weakness in his power.

Gabriel takes out the detonator, having made the resolve to kill himself for the sake of stopping this god. "With one push of this button here there will be a ton of bombs exploding in this mine. I've no doubt that these bombs will kill me without harming you, but look around you! Do you see these mountains, and the snow piled up on top of them? What would happen if you were a mile under the snow? Without your authorities available, even you will be crushed underneath that weight!"

"Human, this is outrageous! How darest thou imply the mere notion of harm upon this one!" The god now moves in on Gabriel, trying to kill this human before he can do such an audacious act.

Gabriel smirks, realizing that this fluster of the god is proof that his tactic will work. "Don't underestimate the power of humans, oh divine lord." As he says those words Gabriel closes his eyes and gives a satisfied smile, before pressing the button.

The camera zooms out, showing the explosions rocking the mine and consuming Gabriel with it, before multiple avalanches cover it all under at least a thousand meters of snow.

The screen fades to black, but a voice of an adult man can be heard. "But wait, if you died… then how did you survive that explosion?" A cut to ten years later, where two man sit in a simple office. The one asking the questions sits at the desk, introduced in the trailer as Johan Miller. He is dressed in a simple white blouse with jeans, questionably looking at his friend for the story he told. "Why are you still alive?"

"You see, my friend, slaying a god is… special, so to say." The friend is dressed much more weirdly. A slender man with suit, cape and a metallic mask, his voice is still that of the earlier Gabriel. "There's a curse on this world. When a human manages to kill himself along with a god, this curse activates and resurrects the human as a Campione."

"Campione?" Johan repeats the last word in confusion, as if not believing it. "So those stories… they aren't just pure myth?"

"Not at all. What you've heard is true: Our bodies hold thousands of time the mana of an ordinary mage; We resist nearly all forms of mortal magic; We have superhuman stamina and durability; Enhanced longevity and magic sensing; Then there are a few nifty things like being able to speak fluently in any language or see in the dark;" With each of these abilities a short example is shown of Smith doing exactly that, to reinforce that idea to the audience watching the movie. "But the most dangerous fact is that we take the god's divine powers for ourselves. Well, we only take a part of each god we slay, but it's enough that ordinary humans don't even try to fight us. The powers I stole from Tezcatlipoca, Artemis and Oberon… do you want to try and oppose it?"

In a warm but stern tone does Smith give his warning, indicating that he does not want to continue talking about it.

Johan understands this too, and decides to continue doing what he was supposed to. "Either way, I've been assigned as your new informant. About the changes that happened in the Sorcerous Sacrilegious Investigation: During the previous month we've obtained seven new members, including myself. As for those who oppose you… The cult centred around Leviathan has been shattered with your last raid on their headquarters. We don't expect any major opposition from them in the next few years. As for the followers of Tsohanoai _{4}_ , they stayed calm for a while now, but they could strike at any moment. The moment we find anything about them we want you to stop them. As for that group around Coyote, we heard they travelled northwards. We may need to extend our view to…"

Smith listens for a while, but quickly his attention drifts away to outside the window, into the open office space next door. There, in the hallway next to Johan's office, does he see quite the beautiful woman. A red-head with beautiful long hair and generous curves; she looks to be in her early twenties, clearly also associated with the Sorcerous Sacrilegious Investigation if she can enter this building. Smith simply looks at her, seeing her interact with the co-workers he already knows. Johan keeps talking in the background, but no one pays real attention.

"As for other news, there have been rumours that an eighth king has been born in Japan, the same country as the seventh king. It sounds quite ridiculous, but we've sent an investigative squad to figure ou-Smith!" Johan noticed too that his companion was not listening anymore, simply looking out of the window. "I'm trying to explain things here!"

"Ah, sorry, sorry." Smith excuses himself, but then starts to ask his own questions: "Say Johan, who exactly is that woman there? I don't think I've seen her before."

"She? I believe her name was Anna Greyce. A mage who joined last month together with me. She's part of the reconnaissance squad, if I remember correctly."

"Ah, I see. That explains it." Smith focuses back on Johan again, who takes it as a que to continue talking:

"Either way, let's go over the parts that you missed and those that I haven't touched upon. I believe that you haven't followed me about all the cults, so let me continue with tha-"

"Dive! Now!" Smith points a finger to behind Johan, who in a state of fear reflexively dives behind his bureau. After a second or two pass without anything strange happening Johan decides to look up, where all he sees is a swirling blue portal that quickly closes. Smith has probably escaped through it.

"Ugh. What an annoying Campione… I'm supposed to work with him?"

The screen cuts to a portal of blue, where Smith is travelling through some swirly twinkling space. He narrates to the audience about what exactly occurred here:

 _[Mastery of Faerie]. It's the authority I obtained from Oberon, European king of the faeries. I can freely travel to the Astral plane and back. Alongside that I obtained kingship over a small country of faeries. It's quite the nifty authority to escape daily life with._

Smith steps out in a beautiful world, with floating isles, waterfalls that flow down into nothingness, flora and fauna not seen on earth, and buildings that look like they belong inside of a fairy tale. Smith walks around, and a few of the inhabitants start to surround him.

Two gnomes in leather armor walk up to their lord, bowing lightly in front of him. "For what reason are we graced with your visit, o lord?"

"It won't be long, I just need to ask someone out for a date." Smith changes out of his costume, changing back into the man Gabriel Bishop, dressed in a simple grey polo and brown pants.

"A woman, eh?" From behind Gabriel a fairy flies, looking like a small child with wings. "How's she look? How's she look?"

"Long red hair, beautiful face… nicely curved, so yeah, I would say she's quite beautiful."

"A red-head?" Now an androgynous elf joins the entourage, this one dressed entirely in a grey cloak. "Then you need to wear something different." The elf chants a few words before pointing at Smith, whose grey and brown clothes change to purple and khaki respectively.

Gabriel looks at his new outfit as the elf gives an explanation: "Everyone fashionable knows that dark purple compliments red, and the best pants to combine that with is khaki."

Gabriel thanks the elf, and opens another portal to return to the world of man. Some dwarves and goblins have also arrived, giving their own advice that ranges from slightly useful ("Don't forget to shoulder all costs on your own, like a real dwarf.") to not fitting for human standards ("As a goblin I advise this: don't forget to show off how strong you are! Use your powers to obtain domination over her!"). Gabriel thanks everyone before using the portal to land in an empty toilet stall at his office.

Quickly he moves out of there, going straight for his pray. Getting back into the main compartment of the building he looks around, and quickly spots his target. Good, Anna is still there. He walks towards her in confident steps, taking the initiative to talk with her:

"Hey, you're Anna Greyce right? New part of the reconnaissance team, just arrived this month?"

"Yes, that's right." Anna turns to Gabriel, giving him some of her time. "And who are you?"

"I'm Gabriel Bishop. I'm part of the reconnaissance squad too, so I guess we'll be working together quite often. Nice to meet you." Gabriel offer a handshake, which Anna accepts. She too is pleased to meet her co-worker, though for him it's about a bit more than just getting acquainted.

"So, if there's anything you want to know, or if you have any problems you need help with, just ask for my assistance. In fact, I wouldn't mind to take our first patrols together to show you the robes."

"Uh, thank you very much, but I'm not a child anymore." Anna is a bit put off by Gabriel's offers. If this continues then her opinion of him will change for the worse. Anna will see him as annoying and overconcerned, traits a male does not want to have when trying to charm a woman.

Gabriel does not realize it, so he's quite irritated when another worker tells him that he needs to meet his boss. Seeing this piece of good luck as bad luck, Gabriel quickly writes his cellphone number on a sheet of paper and gives it to Anna. "If you ever need something, just call me." The incognito king walks away from his love interest, giving her a small goodbye wave that gets awkwardly replicated by Anna.

With low mood Gabriel enters the office of an old man, this one having the standard white professor hair and beard to indicate his intelligence. The king takes a chair, and sits down in front of other man.

"Hey teach, what did you have to interrupt me for? Please tell me that there is some kind of emergency."

"Why of course there is one. We have a devil king rampaging through the office, ignoring his allies and harassing females."

Gabriel doesn't laugh, only sarcastically calling the old man out on it: "This is what you mean? Look, Johan is boring, and Anna is beautiful. What did I do wrong?"

"Gabriel, as one of the people who know your secret identity, I can tell you this: The east coast of America is a shithole. It's a lawless place where any mage or cultist can perform evil deeds. The only shining ray of hope we good guys have is the superhero John Pluto Smith. We need you to function as a role model, not act like a lecherous playboy."

"Look, I'm doing things my own way. I want to act like a good hero, but that doesn't mean I can have some fun. Just let me do my own thing, and I will slay all that is evil."

"This isn't about if you do your job, it's about how you do it. You act like a child, and you never take things seriously. If you don't grow, you will feel the consequences."

"Like what? I need to stand in the corner as punishment?"

"Damn it, I'm serious here!" Ol' teach is getting really annoyed now, starting to curse in his sentences at his former student's foolishness. "I'm not telling this as Professor Eastholt, leader of the Sorcerous Sacrilegious Investigation; I'm speaking here as Leonard, your friend. One day, your carelessness will cost you something dearly, and you'll regret that you ignored my words like this."

Gabriel rolls his eyes, ignoring what is just said. "Right. Now if you excuse me, I know a few more interesting things to do with my time." Gabriel is ready to leave, while professor Eastholt feels like he's talking to a rock. Before Smith can leave though, another event quickly prevents him from doing so:

Another man, one of the other co-workers whose name Gabriel forgot, hastily enters the office, bringing bad news along with him: "A heretic god has descended in Radio Hills Gardens! Professor Eastholt, please contact Lord Smith for us, we'll send out a reconnaissance party!" The man leaves as hastily as he entered, leaving Gabriel with his old teacher, who can now give back a snippy remark to the king:

"You wanted an emergency? Here it is! Now go, get out, do something about it!"

-x-

Radio Hill Gardens is a local park in Los Angeles that is usually quite desolate and forgotten. Not this time, as it seems like there is a party going on. Several humans are dancing on the walkways, while others are drinking wine or doing other crazy stuff. However, there is only one man enjoying this situation, a beautiful blonde male dressed in a purple toga. Everyone else looks horrified and confused, but none of them try to stop with this feast.

"C'mon, dance, dance!" The man in the purple toga lifts his own cup of wine, indicating the DJ to set the music even harder. "This is the grand party of the great god Bacchus, and we'll continue even after we drop. Yeah!"

The DJ is forced to do as the god pleases, his hands moving on his own. That man cannot do anything to stop the orders of the god, who holds everyone's body hostage. There seems to be no rescue in sight, until a loud voice interrupts the party:

"It looks like you have a major feast here, Bacchus!" The god looks up, towards the top of a nearby tree, where none other than John Pluto Smith stands on the small tree tip. He orders the music to stop, glancing at the intruder up high. "However, if you truly want to make it a great party, shouldn't you invite the king of the city? It's not really a good party if no one of importance shows up, right?"

"Hahaha!" Bacchus laughs at the accusation, understanding the words spoken. "True words, godslayer! My apologies, but I wasn't aware that a Campione lived here. Well then, the feast is already on the way, but there's always room for one more. So, wanna rock til' you drop? I'll make sure it's the best thing you'll ever remember!" Spoken in a playful tone, but with lots of murderous intent hidden behind it. Bacchus is clearly not planning to let his opponent go so easily.

"My apologies, but there's no fun in a party where everyone is forced to join. It lacks the spark of joy that I, John Pluto Smith, cannot find here." Smith casually denies the invitation, also speaking with two faces.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Maybe we can create that spark with some spectacular shows for the audience, so how about this one: 'Roman god of wine kicks caped wierdo's ass'. Should lighten up the party, right?"

"Nonono, I see a problem there." Smith raises his magical energy, like an animal who makes himself look bigger before a fight. "How about 'masked superhero kicks annoying drunk god's ass'? It's a lot more realistic than the other."

"Oho! It's on now! Hey DJ, hit it!" Upon speaking this the DJ is forced to play music again, this time playing a rock remix that fits well with the fight. Bacchus starts to chant his spell words, as power visibly charges around him:

"Laughter of children, discretion of slaves, austerity of virgins, peace in the faces and objects of today, may these be deconsecrated by the memory of the drunken wake. It began in all loutishness, now end among angels of flame and ice!"

The humans who were once forced to dance all turned rigid and look at Smith with glazed eyes. Their bodies start to spasm, ripped muscles visibly showing on everyone. They've been forced to absorb energy by this authority, gaining inhuman strength at the cost of all their sanity. Roaring madly these people charge at the tree, uprooting it through sheer muscle strength.

Smith jumps off the tree, using branches of several other trees to keep a calm but steady descend that will lead him far away from his enemies.

The humans continue to follow him, moving at supernatural speeds at their target. Bacchus is simply looking from a distance, sipping on a glass of wine. "Hey king, is that all? C'mon, I'm expecting better here!"

Smith keeps on running from the crowd, but finds time to give back a snippy retort: "Well, I'm not wanting to use my full power on normal humans, even if they're under your influence. I might show you better if you stop using these humans as hostage."

Bacchus raises his glass, an old sign of friendship, but does not comply with Smith's will: "Nah, why would I consider fighting you seriously if you cannot even stop something as simple as this?"

"True, true, you have a point there. Perhaps I should try to actually defeat you." Smith stops in his tracks, landing in an open unused area. The berserk humans swarm the place, but the fifth king finally decides to unleash his power: "By my name as the king of the underworld I hereby decree: Make offerings to the legs of the beast traversing the night. O light, thou needest only to illuminate my path towards conquest!"

All light in the area is extinguished as black smoke surrounds smith, and he quickly falls on all fours. However, this is not due to pain or injury, but because his entire body turns feline! There is no more superhero when the smoke clears, but instead there stands a pitch-black Jaguar!

Everything slows down, excluding the jaguar itself. With leisurely steps it runs at the first of the humans, before jumping on top of it and giving a hard pounce on the back. Meanwhile Smith's voice explains just what this authority is:

 _The [Jaguar], second of the five transformations of Tezcatlipoca. By sacrificing all forms of light in the area until dawn I transform into a Jaguar moving faster than the speed of sound._

While everything is moving at a snail's pace Smith gently moved through the crowd, and with soft attacks he knocks out every single one of the humans. Having cleared that hurdle he moves on to the next target, who is chanting his own spell words:

"Suck blood, gulp his flesh, crunch the bones!" A black blur speeds at Bacchus with incredible speeds, and it seems like Bacchus has no time to finish. Like a photo finish shots are taken of the duo who are about to strike. With every shot Smith is that little closer to biting the god with sharp claws…

…until the final photo reveals that a leopard snuck up from below and strikes down Smith, just before his goal.

Smith, still as a jaguar, rolls several meters away from Bacchus, and with slight difficulty stands up again. Looking up he sees Bacchus surrounding himself with ten leopards, each fast enough to catch up with Smith's jaguar form.

"Since you transformed yourself into a pussy, allow me to give you a few of my own to play with." Fully intending to make a double entendre there, Bacchus insults his opponent in his usual playful manner. With some curt actions he orders the leopards to charge at the godslayer.

The wild animals disappear in a blur, which is the sign for Smith to run away as fast as possible. A black blur leaves from the party site followed by several orange ones, as Smith tries his best to shake these animals off.

Several of the predatory cats try to attack smith, but nimbly he evades every single one of these attacks. The godslayer takes abrupt corners, suddenly going left or right. Still these leopards follow him, and the attacks become a lot more accurate.

Combined attacks of the cats leave scratches, and Smith lets out a feline roar of pain.

" _This cannot continue like this any longer."_ Smith thinks in his head about how to solve this problem, how to defeat these enemies in one fell swoop. In fact, it would be preferable if he could get Bacchus down along with these animals. _"Wait, I know how to take them down!"_

Smith takes a sharp corner to the left, running back towards the place where he came from. However, instead of coming from the open side he runs towards the podium. With deft movements he climbs on top of the construction, until he is standing atop of the light post, at least ten meters above the ground.

The leopards follow him with ease, so Smith simply jumps into the sky, high above the point where Bacchus is standing. The Leopards also jump after him, but that's exactly what the king wanted!

Transforming back into his superhero form Smith pulls out a six-shot revolver from the inside of his cloak, aiming it at the horde of animals chasing him. One of the six slots starts to charge with power, and with an audible click that slot is now in the chamber:

 _[The Freeshooter]. Obtained from Artemis, this lets me fire divine bullets at the enemy. I can only use six each lunar cycle, but if I were to use them all at once… it wouldn't be an exaggeration that it has enough power to burn down this entire state._

The bullet fires, a powerful white burst stream of pure destruction. The leopards are vaporized by the blast, and now it's aimed right at Bacchus!

A capsule of vines tries to protect the god, but that will likely not be enough. When Smith lands on the ground he looks at the massive crater he made, it being at least a hundred meters wide and dozens of meters deep.

"It's a good thing I knocked out those humans far away from here, or else this might've killed them." Indeed, there's nothing left of the party, everything has been obliterated. "Speaking about killed…" Smith looks down into the circle, where some is standing with quite some effort. His skin is red, as some places even a bit crispy, but he looks still ready to battle.

"Itatata… that hurt, y'know!" Still as playful as ever Bacchus walks towards the outer end of the crater, towards his enemy. "Hey, mind if you stopped using that gun? It's a bit too powerful for my taste."

"And what if I don't?" Smith simple aims the gun at his enemy again, trying to provoke a different reaction.

"In that case, I'll give you a gift." Bacchus starts to chant again, spell words for a new authority: "Oh king, kind beyond compare, foolish beyond compare. Humbly accept the blessing of Bacchus, and may this blessing show your folly!"

Smith simply looks at Bacchus, but nothing in the area changed. He pulls his gun up again… only to see that his revolver turned into gold. Stumbling backwards and hitting a tree, he realizes what he's been hit with as that piece of flora also turns golden:

"[Midas' touch], huh? That old story where everything the king touches turns to gold?"

"Yeah, that story indeed." Bacchus keeps on smiling, as he explains it a bit more: "Though it doesn't work on the divine, so I'm afraid I won't turn to gold."

Smith cannot use his gun anymore, the ordinary gold not capable of handling his [The Freeshooter]. A new tactic needs to be used.

Bacchus doesn't try to cut corners and simply activates his next authority: "Priestesses of mine, summon the divine child. Rendered drunk by the violent god's wine, home abandoned, wandering in the mountains. Worship and serve this god!"

Particles in the air start to glow red, and smith sees to his horror that the remaining five slots of his gun also start to glow red. Bacchus starts to gloat about what he exactly did: "With all magic going berserk, those remaining bullets of your gun will surely activate and misfire. It's an explosion strong enough to kill us both, but at least I have some form of resurrective immortality as the dying-and-rising god _{5}_. Now, you shouldn't disgrace that name of Pluto, king!"

Smith cannot resurrect. However, he does have another trick up his sleeve to deal with this situation: "Then if all magic energy goes berserk, I simply need to prevent the activation of all magic, right?" Black smoke surrounds him again, as with spell words another of his transformations is activated:

 _Fourth of the five transformations of Tezcatlipoca, [Pitch-black demonic bird]. A giant black feathered bird whose smoke paralyses all magic it contains._

The earth shakes, as an earthquake of a 4 on the Richter scale is created.

 _However, as a cost the area I'm in will suffer from small earthquakes for some time. It's the price I pay for using this._

Smoke is released from all over the bird's body, and whatever energy it touches calms down and disappears. The charging golden revolver also empties, and the curse of gold returns back to normal steel.

Bacchus too feels the effect, unable to produce any authorities. "Sealing my energy, huh?" Bacchus is still laughing, even though he's just been put at a major disadvantage. "However, while I've been sealed, how about the magic energy within that avian body?"

As Bacchus speaks those words the body of Smith gets glowing red lines all over the body, and the king shrieks out in pain. The form is quickly dismissed, and Smith falls to the ground, landing right next to his gun.

He grabs his gun and tries to fill it with energy, but it's no good. He too has been afflicted by his own ailment, preventing the use of his own authorities. With all magic in the area sealed the two simply run at each other, turning the battle between kings and gods into a simple brawl.

Bacchus gives a straight right in Smith's face, but he counters with hook. A haymaker of Smith, followed by an uppercut of Bacchus, the two are simply using their bodies to do harm. There is no skill, no technique, no magic. This is a battle of pure tenacity, and the two of them are enjoying every minute of it.

It does take a minute or two before Smith performs an important counter, managing to block Bacchus' cross and kicking him away in the stomach. Bacchus flies back a few meters, before quickly standing up again.

The god does not seem well, his body suffering numerous bruises and looking to be in bad shape. Still he keeps his guard up, a grin of enjoyment on his face. "Not bad, king. I expected nothing less from a champion of humanity."

"I can say the same." Smith's physical condition cannot be seen through the costume, but those clothes are torn and his breath is ragged. They're currently in equal position, and the fight can go either way. "You're a much tougher fight than I would expect from the god of wine."

Bacchus laughs. "Hahaha, I'm unexpectedly strong indeed." With a wicked grin Bacchus explains what his origins are. "Before being the god of wine as Bacchus and Dionysus, I was once known as the almighty father of the sky, Sabazios. While I may not possess that power anymore, I still have a few bits of combat knowledge up my sleeves."

Both deactivate their powers at the same time, causing the surrounding to fill with glowing green particles.

"Well then, let's see if you're smart enough to win the finale." Smith draws his revolver, spinning the chamber of his revolver as magical energy gets drawn to the piece of dark metal, this time filling two of his chamber's shots.

"I'll take you up on that challenge!" Bacchus readies himself, chanting a spell of power to defeat this enemy. "The mad flora, the mad fauna, untamed nature! Fierce lions, untamed bears, go berserk and ravage!" Energy also forms around Bacchus, as energy flows from his body to form a portal from which an army of oversized creatures appear. Half of them are bears, divine beasts with bulging muscles and at least standing six meters tall. The others are strong lions, with a withers height over two meters.

As both load up their energy to create their authorities a gigantic magic circle covers the battle field, large enough to cross the distance between god and king five times over.

"Now, what's this trick you have, o king?" Bacchus looks in amazement, wondering what his opponent could be planning.

Smith on the other hand gives off the impression of surprise, which you can hear in his voice. "Wait, you mean to say that this circle wasn't your doing?" Bacchus and Smith both get one moment of horror before the circle starts to glow purple, and its effects activate.

The energy that once went into Smith's bullet to perform a powerful shot was sucked out, into the magic circle. All the spherical lights that represent mana are pulled downwards, draining the battlefield dry. The lions and bears created by Bacchus' authority decompose, turning back to the primordial form of pure mana before also being absorbed by this field.

Bacchus and Smith let out cries of pain, as energy is also drained from their bodies. It's not life-threatening, but this act simply hurts a lot.

After a second or ten the circle dies down, and both god and king fall to the ground in exhaustion. Neither of them saw this coming, and after a quick moment of catching their breath both Smith and Bacchus announce a truce, stopping the battle until they find out just who the hell did that.

Jumping through the trees of the park Smith moves to the outer perimeter of the green-zone, but when he arrives he only finds bloody corpses, their bodies twisted and exploded beyond all life possible.

He picks up one of the robes lying around. It's a long black robe, with insignia coloured in royal purple. "Who the hell are these people? I've fought quite a few cults as a king, but this is the first time I see these guys." Smith looks around, but cannot find any source of life around here. Just as he plans to go to another location he sees a blooming vine of bindweed on a nearby wall. Strange, it's entirely the wrong season for something like that to exist out here.

"Hey king, try to track me. I've found something interesting." Coming out of the flower's cone-shaped petals the voice of Bacchus sounds, another manifestation of the god's power. "I think I've found a human survivor."

"I understand. I'll arrive in due notice." Smith jumps away, swiftly moving to the other side of the park where his former enemy is located.

The camera switches to Bacchus, who is hanging out in a deserted alleyway close to the park. It's filled with corpses of what were once mages, or cultists if you want to be more precise. Next to him hangs a human clad in the same black-purple robe as the one Smith found, the only survivor here. He looks rather angry, his face a mix of fear and hatred. Bacchus gives him a close look, knowing that his own vines are doing a terrific job at keeping this human from moving. "Well well well, so you're one of these humans who thinks that he can try and steal energy from a great god like me, huh?"

"Fuck you!" The human insults the god, but only seems to get more pain as sharp thorns move out of the vines and stab into his body. Letting out a scream of anguish the man cannot insult that fast anymore, while Bacchus makes threats of his own:

"Ooh, you're quite naughty, aren't you? Don't worry, I have lots of fun ways to deal with naughty people like you. I'm sure you'll behave a bit nicer afterwards… well, either that or you'll be dead." Bacchus starts to grin evilly, something unbecoming of a title character.

"Perhaps you can wait until after we've interrogated him, Bacchus." Standing on a nearby rooftop is America's king, who immediately jumps down next to the god. "Would it not be better to know just who exactly caused this mess?"

"Yeah, I agree." Bacchus acts normal again, but offers a few wicked techniques to use. "I can make all the magic energy in his body go berserk, or make him go into a violent self-destructive frenzy, or perhaps simply make him go drunk. So many options here, hehehe." Bacchus seems to get too much pleasure from this prospect, but the human mage seems to deny that.

"No need for that. I'll talk." The cultist draws the attention of his enemies, and starts to speak without fear or doubt: "We are the servants of the [King of Flies], the god that we worship. His body is slumbering, but using this stolen power we shall resurrect him." He speaks with full clarity, as if resigned to fate. "And when he returns… neither one of you shall survive his assault. My only regret is that I will not live to see his descend."

Both Bacchus and Smith realize what those words meant, but before they can stop this human his body hangs limply, and foam starts to form inside his mouth.

"He's dead." Smith calmly observes. The standard suicide method, a cyanide pill. "Bereft himself of the world, and good riddance to him."

Bacchus sees this too, and starts to wonder himself. "So these people want to resurrect some god, huh." The Roman god turn to Smith, offering a new deal: "How about we take our truce and change it into an alliance? I want payback for stealing my powers, and you probably also want to stop this cult. If we team up, then we can certainly take revenge on them."

"An interesting proposal indeed." Smith calmly thinks it over, and sees no issues. Perhaps in the movie they skipped the whole 'Gods cause unwanted destruction wherever they go', and simply made most deities antagonistic towards humanity in general. "Very well, I shall accept it. On my name, John Pluto Smith, I swear that we shall work as one until the resurrection of the [King of Flies] is prevented." Smith extends a hand of friendship.

Bacchus is happy to hear that, and accepts this handshake. "In that case team Pluto & Bacchus is officially formed. Yeah, let's work together, partner!"

The screen focuses on the pair, as the camera zooms out and fades to black, indicating that it is time to go to the next chapter of the movie.

-x-

A week has passed since the fight between Bacchus and Smith. However, instead of investigating the duo is in a night club, where they are drinking and partying together.

They don't do anything productive, they just get drunk and make attempts to pick up women. The latter has varying success, though his latest possibility gets rudely interrupted by a phone call he receives. Looking at the phone he realizes that it's sadly enough someone of importance.

Gabriel excuses the woman, realizing that he just lost a date. He takes up the phone with a growl on his face, hating that he was interrupted: "Teach, why are you calling me? I'm busy, you know."

"Gabriel, what are you doing right now? Because if I can hear the background right then your busy is certainly not stopping the evil cult from resurrecting their lord."

Gabriel looks around, and does realise that the music is rather loud indeed. "Yes, I'm out partying with Bacchus. So, what are you trying to say? I'm doing something bad? Look, we have everyone working together. I'm certain that we can stop those cultists even if I do things like this. For now, just let the human known as Gabriel Bishop have some fun."

"But you're our powerhouse. Without you destroying their hideouts they could possibly even summon their god tomorrow! We don't have time to fool around! You've been acting foolishly for almost a week now, so take some matters into your own hand."

"Fine, I'll do that… tomorrow." Gabriel hangs up the phone, only to start calling someone else. After a few rings he hears Anna on the other side of the phone, asking who called her.

"Hey Anna, It's me, Gabriel."

The focus shifts to Bacchus, who is becoming the king of the dancefloor. Instead of wearing his purple toga the god has opted to go with the times: He now wears a white shirt under a sky-blue sweater, and with mauve pants to match. Even though he is performing an active form of entertainment there's not a drop of sweat on him, as his half-messy, half-sharp appearance gives him some form of supernatural charm that prevents imperfections.

Using his agile movement Bacchus is capable to dance to all the different types of music that's hip in 2010: from electronic music to dance, dubstep to progressive metal or europop, nothing is too abnormal for this god of wine to master. He quickly gets himself a large share of followers, who all watch in amazement at his dancing techniques. Where they were once in stunned silence the groupies now start to cheer, wanting to see even crazier techniques pulled by this king of dance. Bacchus delivers, performing feats of peak level dancing.

After a few minutes of dancing a slightly tired Bacchus returns to his friend, who just finished his call. "Well, you just missed the most awesome dance in history. Surely someone like you has made a feat equal to that, right?"

Gabriel decides to call Bacchus taunt, claiming that he did do that: "Well, this king here got himself a date for tomorrow. I've managed to schedule myself in with Anna so we go out together to scout for evil, and before that we'll have dinner at a good restaurant. Yeah, I would say that that's an equal feat."

Bacchus is not pleased with this answer. In fact, he sighs in pity. "Man, you are so going to get friendzoned if you continue like that." Gabriel is angered by this reply, but Bacchus gives one word of assurance: "On the other hand, you are a monarch, lucky enough to slay a god with sheer will. Who knows? If it's you, it might actually work out."

The king rolls his eyes, taking Bacchus words with a dose of humor. "Screw you, after tomorrow I'll make you eat those words when you see me hand in hand with my girlfriend." Bacchus laughs at this line, but then asks a more important question:

"By the way, didn't you say something that all mages in this city are either a member of your investigation group or a cultist?" Gabriel nods, and asks why this question was asked. Bacchus points towards the entrance, and his friend leans closer to see what this god is looking at. "See that Asian girl over there? Just used magic to hypnotize the bouncer, allowing her to enter without questions. If she's not from your organization, then there's a good chance she's a cultist, right?"

"Right." Gabriel jumps over the balcony, landing without trouble on the floor three meters below. He casually walks over to the girl, who has moved past the entrance to start partying.

"Hey miss, how are you doing?" Gabriel now makes eye contact with the girl. She seems to be around sixteen years old. Her height is average for a Japanese person, with short black hair almost reaching her shoulders and brown eyes that look right into those of Gabriel himself.

The Asian girl politely greets back, almost like you expected someone from that region to do. "Hello there. My name is Sayuki Kitawara. With whom do I have the pleasure?"

"My name is Gabriel Bishop. Now, as for why I would approach such a beautiful woman like you… let's just say that you were a bit obvious at using magic." Sayuki looks warily at this man, but decides to let him speak out. Here in Los Angeles only two groups of magic exist, and since you are not a member of the Sorcerous Sacrilegious Investigation…" Gabriel lets his power flow a bit more, causing a light gale to flow through the club. "…you must be a cultist."

"Hm?" Sayuki is not afraid, and instead calmly observes this man called Gabriel Bishop. Suddenly she raises an eyebrow, as if noticing something very wrong. "A king? But that would mean you are…" She lets out a sigh of annoyance, before chanting spell words of her own:

"O Earth, descend from the heavens!" A red hexagonal prism as tall as Sayuki appears, energy flowing from that stone into her.

In the cinema hall Shizuka recognizes this woman as the person playing the eighth king. The two Campione in this project prefer not to make their identities publicly known, so actors were hired to play most of the parts. In Shizuka's case, due to labour laws heavily restricting the acting time and possibilities of actors under sixteen years old, alongside that actors of that age will have a harder time successfully performing, it was decided that an adult would play the role of the youngest king. Shizuka's age was raised to sixteen so that the nineteen-year-old actor Bacchus found could believably play that role.

The movie version of the eighth Campione chants more spellwords, continuing with the stone of earth to chant an own version of her power: "Power of the earth, strength of the lands gathered here, becoming one in me!"

Gabriel takes some time to scan his opponent, but too late does he realize that he is facing his peer. Before he can dodge he gets a straight punch that sends him flying through the wall… and the wall behind that one… and a third, and a fourth… It's the fifth wall that manages to stop Gabriel, as instead of breaking the brick wall he simply falls off it, landing on the ground.

Gabriel stands up with difficulty, feeling dazed from that attack. Yeah, that wasn't an ordinary punch, that was one infused with the power of an authority. Man, if only he paid more attention to Johan's words, he would've been more prepared for this. "Ugh…that actually did hurt… a lot."

"Eh, you can take it, can't you?" Sakyuki walks through the rubble created by her own punch, stepping over the remains of the last of the walls she broke. "A ridiculous godslayer like you, you can take on the power of the gods and still stand up without too much trouble. Complaints from your side about strength should be null and void."

America's Campione can feel droplets falling on his body, an indication that he's outside. Looking around he sees that he's in a typical alleyway, one of a dime a dozen you can find in the city of angels. A small rain is starting to pick up, though it doesn't seem a sign indicating storm.

Gabriel didn't really focus on what was said by the other person, being more focused on another detail. This girl, how can she call him ridiculous? "Then what do you call yourself, Sayuki? Everyone who can throw a punch with that power is without doubt as ridiculous as well."

"Me?" Sayuki shrugs, not seeing the connection. "I'm just a girl who encountered a goddess a few months ago, and then I killed her."

"And you see nothing absurd in that at all, my fellow godslayer?"

"Of course, I can't deny that killing a god is not normal. However, ignoring that part I'm the only relatively normal one around." Sayuki unveils old pasts, of the eccentrics of the other kings: Tyrants, morons, those who like to act as phantom thieves… "And finally, we have someone dressing and acting like a superhero."

"It's not merely acting, I really am a superhero!" Gabriel doesn't take that insult well, firmly believing in his heroism. "Besides, what normal person would punch first and ask questions later?"

"Quite simple: This one." Sayuki runs at Smith once again, starting the chant for a new authority: "Oh metal, descend from the heavens! The undented and unbreakable, all shall bow down before my power! The great warrior, heavenly fighter, I become the magnificent steel!"

The younger king's body turns metallic, becoming pure steel without stain. Every step she sets causes a small crater to appear on impact, the weight of her body destroying the stone floor.

She launches a flurry of attacks at the enemy, combining multiple schools of martial arts to take down her enemy. It's quite impressive from a layman's standard, but compared to the likes of Doni or Luo Hao it's not even touching the fundamentals.

Gabriel dodges the attacks with beast-like manoeuvring, relying purely on instinct to prevent getting hit. As he dodges another palm strike to the stomach he continues to ask question. "Hey, before you continue killing me any further, at least tell me why we're fighting!" Gabe still hasn't gotten a satisfying reason for this fight. As far as he knows this battle is going on for no reason at all.

"Because I have a family to protect!" This shocks Gabriel for long enough to be taken into a grapple by his opponent, before being flung into a nearby wall. "I'm just enjoying some holidays with my parents here. Sure, I knew there was another king around in this city but that shouldn't be a problem if I simply stayed low and acted normal. This all changed when a certain idiot thought it was a good idea to team up with that god over there!"

Sayuki points to the side, where Bacchus is using some rubble as a makeshift chair to enjoy this spectacle. It's not every day you get to see two kings fighting each other, and you might as well enjoy it.

" _Why is he sitting there?"_ It's the first though that goes though Gabriel's mind. No, stupid question, it's Bacchus. That guy would always be in for watching some spectacle. Now as for why that is bot bad…

"And what's the problem with that? I've made friends with a god; I'm bothering no one with that!"

"Then tell me, how often did that go right? How often did a god manage to stay on earth for a prolonged time without causing major destruction?" A list of other examples gets named: Athena, Thor, Nezha, the Sorya _{6}_ ; Every single time the area they settled in got completely obliterated. "To be able to claim that you're any different, I've absolutely no hopes in you."

Gabriel sees that there are no more words to be wasted. Gabriel Bishop uses a simple gesture to change into John Pluto Smith, with the only exception that his visor isn't put on. "Perhaps, or perhaps not." Smith has expected to run into strife with his enemy, so there's only one answer:

Smith pulls out his gun, stored with energy, and fires his fourth shot. Only two holes have energy left, The other three used during his battle with Bacchus. Sayuki cannot do much more then raise her magical energy, speaking words of power to raise the defence of her steel body.

"However, there is one major difference this time." Smith now leisurely talks again, pointing to his friend as he gives his reason: "Unlike those deities, we have a goal. An evil cult has stolen some of our magic energy to advance the summoning of their lord, and we both want that back. That force will lead into something that will overcome even that hurdle. I, the superhero of Los Angeles, John Pluto Smith, swears thus."

After a few seconds the effects of the dragon bullet dissipates, showing the results: Sayuki was pushed back a bit by that attack, and the steel that once made here body is now all used up. Like a skin the metal layer sheds into many particles, showing the young king's flesh body underneath.

Not giving up by losing that ability she speaks spell words once more, but this time not for an authority: "Heavenly jewelled halberd of creation, appear once more in my hands!" In Sayuki's hands the legendary weapon appears, the actual one used by the real king. Gabriel stays wary of this new summon, but he quickly finds out that that spear is not intended for attacking.

"Gabriel Bishop… or perhaps I should call you John Pluto Smith; As much as I think that you're a complete idiot for sharing a city with a god, I cannot deny that those cultists are the bigger threat." Sayuki swings the Ame no Nuhoko, drawing a circle around her in a single slash. The ground under her starts to liquefy, and she slowly sinks into the ground. "If I were to defeat you here, I would have to deal not only with Bacchus over there, but also with a group of cultists who try to resurrect a god. As a tourist who wants to have some peaceful days with my family I'm afraid that fighting here is not in my best interest. I'm leaving for now." Just before she's completely underground she gives a cutesy "Bye!", a playful act that is a bit more fitting for a sixteen-year-old.

"Well, wasn't that a feisty girl." Bacchus walks up to his friend, a warn and sincere smile on his face. Even now he gives off the aura of a playboy, and so are his words: "Y'know, if it wasn't for my wife Ariadne I would totally try to court that king."

"Your romantic interests are without doubt absurd, Bacchus." Gabriel starts walks away from the battlefield, not interested in this place anymore. No, he's going to be busy now that a new power has arrived. "What a mess this is. First you arrive, then these cultists, and now another king? Good grief, give me some rest already."

"Life isn't that easy, my friend." Bacchus catches up with the pace of Gabriel, now walking side-to-side with him. "Trust me, it's only going to get worse."

The camera pans up, showing the dark sky before fading to black. Instead of continuing with another scene the lights go on in the cinema hall, indicating that it is time for a break.

-x-

{1} Toho Cinema Shinjuku: Toho is a film company famous for many Japanese films. The most well-known film outside of Japan is probably Godzilla. It also owns a fair set of cinemas, of which this one in Shinjuku is one of the biggest ones they own.

{2} 4000 yen: At the moment of writing, it is worth $34,77 or €32,70.

{3} Iztaccihuatl mountain ridge: An active volcano mountain and the nearby smaller mountains surrounding it in Mexico. It's 5,230 meters high, and is seventy kilometres away from Mexico City.

{4} Tsohanoai: The Navajo god of the sun, he is the one who carries the sun on his back through the day. Some myths depict him as a warrior on horseback with a gleaming shield. His name means "The sun bearer".

{5} Dying and resurrecting god: A theory that every myth has a god who dies, and then tends to resurrect. Meant as proof to dismantle Christianity, it turned out to be quite flawed when quite a few of the stories presented didn't follow the ideas of the theory creator, and was debunked with the conclusion that the only two gods fitting this role are Bacchus and Osiris.

{6} Named gods: While the author is certain you're aware of the origin of Athena and Thor, let me explain the other two: Nezha is a Chinese protection deity who is mostly known for conquering the sea dragons, while the Sorya are a pair of dawn goddesses who prevent the hellhound Simargl from devouring the universe.

-x-

And this is the end of the chapter. The observant will probably ask: Flagarach, this didn't feel like much of an end. To them I say, you're correct. Even though this is the twelfth chapter there is no satisfying conclusion. If I wanted to make this fake movie idea any good I would need to include too many things to fit under 15,000 words (Including 2000 words I already wrote but needed to put in the next chapter to make it more even). I decided to make this movie good, so this chapter is split in two.

So yeah, next chapter is not the start of Arc-V. There will be a chapter 12.5 in between. Apologies for that inconvenience.

But let us refocus on that next chapter: It is the second part of the movie, which includes the break, midway peak, crisis, second plot point, mayor turning point, showdown, intervention, realization, sequel hook and results. These are all movie terms, but it basically boils down to the second part of the movie.

After that Arc 5 comes, in which we arrive at Volume 14 of the light novel timeline. If you read that, then you can make an elaborate guess what you can expect next.


	13. Against the King of Flies

Now that the movie is finally at the mid-point there is a small break for everyone to refresh themselves. Shizuka and her friends stand up, wanting to take a small stroll to get rid of their aching legs. That, and maybe they can order some more food. Shiuka has enough money left to buy at least two more bags of popcorn, enough food to satisfy all. As the quartet stand in the queue they are giving their opinion about the movie.

"I can't believe how great this movie is!" Yui exclaims, barely able to hide her joy. She really seems to enjoy everything she just saw.

"Yeah, I agree, Yui." Miki joins in on the conversation, agreeing with Yui's point. "The story, the battles, it's hard to find any flaws in it. It's the perfect superhero story."

"I will join you on the point that it is a good movie, but isn't calling it perfect a bit overrated?" Shizuka has a more dampened opinion, as she finds the movie… okay. Perhaps it's because she's actually part of the movie, and has a completely different view over them.

Yeah, that might be it. Perhaps it's because she personally knows the difference between the smooth Gabriel on the screen and mister Reynolds playing him. Or perhaps it's the fact that she already knows the story, and is aware of everything that's going to happen so there's no suspense. Or perhaps, and this is by far the most likely explanation, she simply gets annoyed whenever either Bacchus or Shizuka's actor gets on the screen. No offense to Karen, who does a great job as an actor, but there's something slightly embarrassing to seeing the past actions of yourself.

The other three look at Shizuka as if they have seen a ghost. Even a few onlookers seem to give Shizuka the same look, as if they too cannot believe that someone would rate this movie as less than perfect. Shizuka simply stares them down, waiting for them to either say something or leave.

"It's not overrated at all! Here, tell me one thing that was not perfect. Just one thing that you dislike." Kuniko challenges her friend, and Shizuka knows at least a few possibilities: The intro's too long, the connective arc between different sections is a bit loose, and the break is a bit early. Knowing the whole movie Shizuka would've put that break at least one scene later. However, deciding that she would rather not cause a squabble she decides to give an entirely different answer:

"In my opinion, the movie has overly dramatized the events. I'm pretty sure that what we saw isn't even close to the real events it's based on." No, real life involved less fighting, more wine, and an amount of spaghetti that the inhabitants of St. Lucia are probably still cleaning up right now. It's horrible to even try and remember it.

The other three simply gawk at that answer, trying to comprehend what was just said. After a second or three it's Kuniko who gives a reply: "Are… are you trolling us?"

Not really, but that is what Shizuka wants them to believe. Best keep the answer vague like an actual troll: "Well, who knows? Even I'm not sure myself."

The other three laugh, and Shizuka joins in. They've written off the negative remark as humour, calling it just a joke amongst friends. The young king fully intends to keep it that way.

It's finally Shizuka's turn, and she orders another two bags of popcorn, this time in the more ordinary flavors of salty and honey sweet. There's not enough money left for very special things, and with a stomach half-filled it's better to use monotone but strong tastes instead of varied amalgamations.

"Shizuka, we do need to thank your brother afterwards." Miki brings up that they are spending Godou's money, something Shizuka acknowledges. She would have preferred it if he managed to come here with his friends instead of his girls, but it's still someone else's money. At least a thank you for following through with the bet is needed.

Thinking about Godou, Shizuka wonders a bit about how her brother is doing…

"This movie is amazing!" On the other side of the movie theatre is Godou's group, where Ena cannot help but express her amazement of what she just watched. "The battles, the explosions… even though it's quite a lot like watching your majesty battle Ena is completely captivated by this!"

"Eh, really? I do agree that it's good, yes, but to call it amazing…" Godou on the other hand is a lot less awestruck. It's a fun movie to watch, but nothing that should win an Oscar or so. For him this is just another movie, a dime in a dozen.

"No, I have to agree with Ena here." Erica tries to appear demure, but those who know her longer like Liliana can see that see is hiding her own joy. "It doesn't happen often that I, Erica Blandelli, enjoyed a piece of entertainment this much."

"Even though superhero movies are not my genre, I must agree that this is perhaps the pinnacle of all those movies. It's a masterpiece."

With Liliana backing up Ena's claim too there seems to be enough evidence to tell of the greatness of this movie. "See, your majesty? Why don't we go around and ask everyone what they think of the movie? I'm willing to bet that we'll only find positives."

"There's no need to bother other people with these questions, Seishuuin." Godou calms Ena down a bit, before including the last member in the group into the conversation: "Say Mariya, how do you like the movie?"

"I… It's a truly wonderful movie." Mariya is left speechless, and Godou is left to wonder. Why does everyone like this movie so much? It's good, yes, but nothing to make such comments about. Is he misunderstanding something, or is it just that as a king these superheroes do not fulfil his fantasies? Hmm…

As Godou continues to ponder about this a boy passes before his face, covered in a shadow of obstinacy and arrogance. However, that shadow disappeared the moment he notices Godou:

"If it isn't my honoured uncle!" He bows lightly and clasps his right palm around his left fist, the standard salute amongst martial artists. There is only person in the world to call Kusanagi Godou 'Honored Uncle': Lu Yinghua, The personal disciple of the demonic cult leader Luo Cuilian.

"Yinghua!" Godou shouts out the name of his acquaintance, surprised to see him here. However, that's not the only person he sees that's here. Accompanying the young prodigy is another person Godou knows, the androgynous hime-miko: "And Kaoru-san too! What are you two doing here?"

"Most likely the same thing as you all are doing, Godou-kun." The Sayanomiya heir holds up a pair of movie tickets, clearly for the same movie as the rest. "Though these aren't exactly mine."

"In other words, her eminence has declined use of her own tickets?" Erica also joins in the conversation, much to the dismay of Yinghua.

"Well, that's true." However, Lu won't break face in front of the man he respects. Politely he answers Erica, speaking openly and without annoyance. "Although it's not so much 'declined' as it is 'never found out'. If master were to ever go to these movies it could be become cataclysmic enough to lead to the demise of the entire movie industry." Yinghua shudders at the thought, and all the others are perfectly aware that that was not an exaggeration. Really, Godou's sworn sister is ridiculous in all aspects.

"Anyway, are you two enjoying the movie?" Godou wants to return the conversation to something more basic, and simply starts to ask about the movie itself. Kaoru agrees with the other girls on this matter, though Yinghua goes the other direction:

"While I cannot call this movie bad, I would recommend to take a guarded approach to this movie." Lu gives a cryptic answer that no one else understands. "Though in your case, honoured uncle, I doubt you need it."

What the martial artist is hinting at is that this is not just a mere mortal movie. This is one created by a god, after all. There is some subliminal magic hidden within, subtly brainwashing the viewer to like this movie. It wouldn't be a surprise if the same kind of tampering has been done with other movies involving Bacchus.

The only people immune to this effect are the Campione and mages who have prepared themselves beforehand. Unlike Godou's entourage who apply magic when needed, Yinghua's many ordeals taught him to always keep his guard up, even in a cinema like this. As a result, he's the only one to notice this phenomenon happening.

Young Lu is not interested in sharing this knowledge for the sake of the girls, so he simply waves goodbye, saying that the movie is about to start. Everyone follows him and go back to their seats, As the next part of the movie starts:

-x-

The movie restarts in a fancy restaurant, where the camera moves through the entrance into a grand hall, going up a fancy staircase with a balcony overseeing the previous hall and into a large dining room. It's filled with tables for groups of two to eight persons, intended to serve as quite the luxurious dining hall.

It's also the place where Gabriel Bishop and Anna Greyce are spending their surveillance together. The starter has just arrived, and the duo starts to enjoy the food while still vigilantly looking out for enemies.

After a few bites of the food Gabriel reopens the conversation with some small talk, asking how the food tastes. Anna replies that her scallop siu mai _{1}_ taste good, and by returning the question she learns that he also enjoys his tartar of sea perch.

"To be fair, I didn't expect myself to sit in a restaurant like this." Anna is still somewhat surprised with the location; it's something Gabriel can fully understand considering how luxurious this restaurant is.

"Well, I've got a few contacts here and there, so getting a spot like this is quite easy." It's good to be a king, baby! "It has good food and even greater service. There isn't a thing I dislike about this place."

"Talking about this place, why are we here?" The one problem that Anna doesn't understand is how they're supposed to stay vigilant. "I don't see us covering much ground from the dinner table."

"Don't worry about it so much." With polite and friendly words he starts to explain why this seemingly improbable strategy works: These cults usually try to attack places where they can drain a lot of people, as that gives them much more mana than randomly attacking people on the streets. It's also a lot easier to disguise as a so-called "accident", like a gas leak or an explosion. Considering how full this restaurant is they might very well strike here. "And if they do strike, they'll probably do it when business is busy, like now." Gabriel speaks the last words on this subject, as he changes it to more personal topics:

"But unless we spot something bad, let's try to at least enjoy the evening. How about we learn a bit more of each other?"

Anna agrees, and quite a bit of info is shared they talk about their backgrounds, reason for joining the SSI, hobbies, all kinds of stuff like that. The tone is jovial, as both seem to enjoy each other's company. The length of their conversation has to be at least several minutes, and it seems to go on forever. It is only after Gabriel finishes talking about a recent adventure that he tries to be a bit more romantic:

"You know, I really like this: the two of us chatting away about life, and having fun together. It's a fantastic miracle that we ended up meeting each other."

"Yes, I agree. This is kind of fun talking to you. Yeah, I'm also glad to have a friend like you." While Anna speaks these words sincerely without ill intent, for Gabriel they have an entirely different meaning: Bacchus was right, and he just got friendzoned. Shit.

Okay, how to solve this situation? It's not easy to get out of the friendzone, but it should still be possible. It's a difficulty that quick wit and smart thinking should be able to overcome! Perhaps change your own interests a bit? Maybe find a way to make yourself look better? Maybe she's interested in knowing John Pluto Smith's secret identity. Hmm…

Gabriels heavy pondering is accompanied with a sudden bright green mist hangs inside the building, which hinders the visibility. The people who inhale it start coughing, before falling unconscious. Anna and Gabriel quickly realize this must be the work of an enemy mage, and cast magic on themselves to be unaffected.

Footsteps are head from the direction of the main entrance of the restaurant. A smaller number of steps can be heard from the direction of the kitchen. Most likely these people are cultists, who have created this mist to obtain sacrifices for their wicked practices!

Gabriel takes command of the only ally he has: Anna. Not wanting to immediately blow his cover, he comes up with a plan where the duo will perform a surprise attack on these people. Gabriel will take down the larger group coming from the entrance, while Anna will take down the backup group in the kitchen.

Anna nods, and they both go their way to deal with their own group of enemies.

Gabriel moves under the cover of the mist to search for the enemy. Keeping his cover he stays undetected, peeking over the balcony to see a group of five robed figures trying to silence whomever did not fall unconscious.

Even if Gabriel is a king, he does not need to flaunt his power. Instead he chooses to take these heroes down stealthily. Next to him is a fire hose that he can utilize. He unrolls the 25-meter-long pipe and enchants it with magic words. That chant makes the pipe move as if it were a snake, slithering over the ground and off the balcony's edge. The nozzle dangles down, searching for pray, and eventually wraps itself around the ankle of one of the robed figures.

A few hand gestures make the hose start rolling up again, dragging the poor mage with it. With only a single yelp the robed figure finds himself dangling in the air, being lifted in the air. Eventually he dragged onto the second floor, knocking his head against the railing. Dazedly he tries to stand up, but finds his body still uncoordinated from the blow.

"Need some help?" A hand is extended to him, and he gratefully accepts. Looking up at his saviour he sees Gabriel there, his other hand raised in a fist. That hand comes straight for the mage's face, knocking him out cold.

One down, four to go.

The other four suddenly wonder where their fifth member has gone, as they whisper the name Adam around to find him. After a short search the rest decide to ditch him, entering an elevator to the second floor.

The four enter the elevator, and calming music begins to play. It's completely dissonant from the fact that a pair of hands come down from the escape hatch and take away the man standing the furthest back.

Only three leave the elevator, now realizing that something is completely wrong. The trio form a defensive circle, looking out for any suspicious behaviour. They need to find just who the hell did this to them.

Unfortunately for them one mage was not smart enough to stay away from the railing, and this one finds Gabriel pulling him over the ledge. The enemy party dwindles to two, as panic starts to spread among the remaining mages.

The less fearful one tries to take the lead, urging the other to follow him as they search together for the other group. The leader takes a corner to the left, and after some consideration on the meeker mage follows. However, instead of finding his friend there is just an empty cloak lying on the ground.

The mage cannot take it anymore and flees from the premise, too scared to even try and fight the enemy. He runs away screaming, constantly looking back if whatever crazy being that made his teammates disappear is still there.

He runs, and runs, until he runs into something solid that prevents him from running. Now looking at what is in front of him he sees that he has run into an army of goblins. They're all dressed in leather armour and wield large wooden clubs, something that clearly does not belong in a restaurant. On second glance, the surroundings seem completely different from before, belonging more to the fairy realm. The blue portal he entered through closes, as he lets out a final scream before the group clobbers him.

Anna meanwhile encounters a group of three, of which the first gets quickly knocked out with a kick to the face. The other two now notice the newcomer.

"O deft one with both hands, grant weapons upon your servants!" Both cultists speak these spell words at the same time. One of them suddenly wields a silver hammer, while the other wields an ebon scythe. With these weapons the duo attack, coordinating their attacks to defeat this woman.

Anna dodges the first swing of the hammer, using martial arts to parry. The swipe of the scythe gets dodged by a simple jump backwards, giving her the time to pull out her own weapon: A standard pistol, often seen used by the police. Shooting a bullet or two at the hammer wielder allows her to focus on the scythe user, who is swinging at her while chanting a spell of his own:

"The ushering of darkness, the coming of destruction; may our lord curse all who stand in the light!" A bolt of darkness shoots at Anna, which will probably have some harmful effect on her.

"Repay them for their deeds, and for their evil works." A white glow surrounds Anna, getting brighter the more spell words she speaks. "Repay them for what their hands have done, and bring back on them what they deserve." The darkness connects with the light around Anna, and suddenly changes direction towards the mage who cast the spell.

A spell of reflection, it can redirect magic spells of evil nature back at their casters. The only problem with it is that the protection only lasts for a few seconds, so it needs to be timed correctly.

This time it did work, as the spell hits the mage, who suddenly has a hole in his stomach, making him drop dead on the floor.

"You bastard! You'll pay for what you did to my friend!" The last cultist speaks spell words of wind, empowering his hammer to cause gusts of wind to flow around it. With increased speed he swings the hammer around, forcing Anna to go on the defensive. She weaves her body around the strikes of the hammer, but every blow comes closer and closer. One misstep spells doom, as the hammer is now coming straight at Anna's head!

With great effort does Anna get her gun between herself and the hammer, allowing for a magic spell of her own: "Eye for an eye, tooth for an tooth! Great goddess of equality, Aequitas _{2}_ , may the accused pay his dues in full!"

As the pistol shatters under the weight of the blow so too does the cultist's hammer. Now with both weapons gone Anna has the overwhelming advantage in martial arts, so she throws her enemy into a nearby wall.

Half-dazed the mook calls for back-up from the other group, but there's no response. Nobody is answering his call. Now realizing that the situation is turning badly for the cultists, he decides to simply go out in a suicidal act of revenge: "I may not be able to survive, but I will take down as many of you blasted mages as I can!"

He gathers energy, forming a magic runic circle in the air. Speaking the spell-words of self-destruction, he gives a final spell to kill: "Be faithful until death, and I shall give thee a crown of life! O skilful and wise, grant upon thy servant one final creation. For the sake of exterminating those who oppose me, one shall discard even his life!"

A large wooden stake appears, crackling with electricity, and shoots out at Anna to pierce and electrocute her. She knows it, that if she does so much as touch that attack she will die.

"Oh earth, protect this maiden, deny all harm from those that are evil!" Spell words that cause an earthen wall to rise, a last defence against this power. The cultist shoots his spear, before falling to the ground in exhaustion. This attack probably shaved a few years off his life, but it's worth it if it helps those who serve his god.

The earthen wall only holds for a second or two before shattering, leaving Anna nothing to defend herself with. She closes her eyes and reflexively tries to use her hands to block, but it will be useless. Silently she awaits her doom…

…but when after several seconds her demise hasn't come, she opens her eyes in confusion. Looking ahead of her is Gabriel, calmly holding the electric stake in his hand. There seems to be no pain or any other problem, something that should be impossible for a normal mage.

"Y-You… how are you… what are you?" The cultist too almost screams in confusion, as he simply points in fear as Gabriel. The king obviously has an answer for that, but instead of playfulness he speaks with a stern and angry voice:

"Isn't it obvious? I'm the one the gods fear, for I can slay their kin; I'm revered by the people, for I protect this city from all who do harm; You may know me as John Pluto Smith, fifth Campione and king of Los Angeles… and I know you as the human who tried to kill the woman I love." Smith reverses the stake, now aiming the tip at the cultist himself. "Any last words?"

"Ah…aaah…Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!" The cultist screams in fear and tries to run away, but it's no use. Smith throws the stake like a javelin, slamming in the heart of the enemy and throwing him through the wall. He's dead for sure.

Anna looks at her rescuer, and walks up to him. "That… was very sweet of you, your majesty." Spoken with reverence, as she now realizes just who she had for a date. "I thank you for your rescue of me."

Gabriel grabs Anna, as his clothes change into that of John Pluto Smith, minus the helmet. "Anna, there's no need for you to speak with such reference. Sure, I'm the ruler of this entire city, and great enough to conquer the rest of the country. But you are the ruler of my heart, and great enough to conquer the rest of me. I truly love you, Anna."

"Gabe…" After Anna speaks these words Smith pulls her even closer to him. Lowering his head he kisses her, holding her tightly while doing so.

Anna returns the feeling, and kisses him back. With both arms she grabs him behind the shoulders, forcing him to continue kissing.

The screen pans out through the window, where the night sky changes to the headquarters of the SSI, into the office of the old professor. Here Smith gets a verbal lashing from his old teacher Leonard Easthold, who is reviewing just what exactly mister Bishop did last night. He reads through a few files, but his expression stays sour. He turns to Gabriel, starting to review the king's actions from last night:

"As far as I can see, you managed to save a restaurant from being used as resources by a bunch of cultists. For that part, I have to say well done." Gabriel tries to turn the situation lighter cracking a smile and talking about how he's stopped the cult from gathering more power, thus giving them more time.

The old professor agrees, but he does have a few words of warning: "However, the reason I called you here was not to congratulate you. If John Pluto Smith had saved a restaurant from the cult, I would only have praise. In this case, on the other hand, I have no respect for Gabriel Bishop who did the same action."

"Eh, that's mere semantics. Does it matter which form of me obtained victory?"

"Yes!" What one waves away is very important for the other. "John Pluto Smith is a mystery, something that installs fear in the hearts of evil. Gabriel Bishop is just a mage of the SSI, and one who could get his cover blown. If you handled yesterday like you handle rescues as Smith you might've doomed us all."

"Then what's the difference, because I don't see it."

"These cultists don't take revenge against a king. They will take revenge against a mage. If word spreads out that Gabriel Bishop managed to defeat a group of their cultists they will specifically go after you."

"And how is that bad?" Gabriel leans back in his chair, still acting nonchalantly. "If they want to try, let them! It's not that they will succeed against a godslayer."

Professor Easthold is almost facepalming, that he does not realise the true danger. "And what if they can't? They will then take revenge by proxy, and target anyone close to you. Everyone in this entire office can be killed because of your reckless actions!"

The voice of the professor is raised, and Gabriel follows suit. "Well, when will that happen? This cult has, like, a day or two left in existence before it's taken down! When do these people have the time to take revenge?"

"Revenge can be done in minutes. Everyone's lives are in peril until we destroy that cult!"

"They'll attack me, yes. However, they don't have enough time to strike down both me and everyone around me. They'll just attack the one who destroyed their forces."

"Correct. However, will they attack just the one? Wasn't the number of people who saved the restaurant two?"

Gabriel's face turns blank, a he realizes what his professor is saying. "Anna!" Leonard nods, and tells him that the reckless actions of Gabriel have endangered her.

"But as long as all the cultists are dead and there are no escapees, she should be fine. You did take care of them all, right?"

Gabriel gulps as he realizes he might've kept a few of the first group alive out of lax arrogance, and perhaps they may have seen him and Anna kill the last member of the kitchen group. A gunshot close-by tells him that he might've made a mistake. Looking outside of the window he sees that there's someone bleeding on the ground.

Nonono, this can't be happening! Quickly Gabriel rushes out of the office, moving down to the place of the incident.

Using his authority over the realm of fairies he managed to get outside almost immediately. As one of the first he has seen the face of the victim, struck with grief as he mutters out her name. "Anna…"

What has he done?

-x-

The current state of America's hero could only be called pathetic. In his rage at the death of his girlfriend, he sought solace in the most common refuge:

Alcohol.

Gabriel has grabbed the bottle, drinking away his problems. Two bottles already stand on the bar he's sitting at, and if this continues there will follow many more.

It's a common run-down bar, where you would only see the scum of the earth. It's an uncommon place for a king, and the one who enters now is even less expected:

There stands Bacchus, who switched back to his purple toga. He enters the bar, quickly seeing his friend there. With pleased steps he walks to him, wanting to tell him good news he received.

"Hey buddy, guess what? We discovered the hole of those bastards who stole our energy. Get up, we can finally get our revenge!"

Mister buddy does not respond, still with his hands grabbing the bottle. He takes a new swig, ignoring what was said by his friend.

"C'mon, get up! We've got no time to waste on drinking when we can be plotting sweet revenge!"

"Get away!" Smith lazily swings his arm backwards, not bothering to even try and hurt Bacchus. The god looks up at his friend, and sees that his eyes are a hazy and his stance unstable.

"Ehm, Smith, are you… oh my me, you're drunk, aren't you?" Leave it to the expert to recognizes someone else being drunk. Bacchus has seen it far too often in his own subjects. While he doesn't mind people being intoxicated this is one time where he prefers to see someone sober. "Seriously, why are you drinking? We're supposed to party after we win against evil, not before!"

"Do I look like I give a fuck?" Gabriel starts to swear, his ability to make his usual fluent and exquisite language somewhat hampered by the alcohol.

Bacchus sighs, as he confirms that his partner is intoxicated. "Well, I do expect you to give at least a few. You know, evil cult, guys trying to summon a god that will destroy your city? I expect you to at least care a bit."

"Care for who? The one I love is dead! I've just lost my true love!"

"A true love you've known for slightly more than a week." Bacchus is not buying this bullshit, and tries to talk reason into his friend. Perhaps he'll listen, and some hope can shine through the madness of alcohol.

"It was true love at first sight!" Gabriel's body language is exaggerated, and he's stumbling a bit with every sentence he speaks. He's now stands in Bacchus' face, trying to intimidate his friend by invading his personal space. Bacchus is unimpressed, and calmly replies with a bit of snark:

"Sure, if you think so. What I think is that's you're overly dramatic. Perhaps I'm speaking for everyone but you, but how about you forget about that human girl, get out there, and kick ass? Nobody cares about what happened to your missy."

A surprise attack from Gabriel causes Bacchus to receive a bottle right in the jaw. The god stumbles a step or two backwards, but he's not visibly hurt, only mildly peeved.

The drunken king stands there with his wine bottle in hand, very much intending to strike again. Angrily he orders Bacchus to take back what he said earlier, or he would face the consequences.

The god does not care, and so the barfight begins!

Well, if you can call it a barfight. Gabriel is too drunk to fight properly, making amateurish attacks with his body and his fists that Bacchus lazily avoids. The god of wine does not care for this enough to take it seriously, so he simply deflects some attacks.

"You take that back! You take that back!" Like a mantra of madness Gabriel continues speaking these words, and the only thing empowering him at the moment. It's still doing nothing to help him win the barfight.

After a minute of playing around Bacchus gets annoyed. He's tired of this shit, and wants it to end. With a single fluid motion he throws his friend against the counter, with enough force that Gabriel topples over it and lands next to the barista. As if by miracle the wine bottle is kept intact, which is used as a crutch to stand up.

Now that the god's mood is spoiled Bacchus sees no reason to continue this charade, and starts telling it as he sees it: "Is this really you? The man I fought a strong battle with? The man who I joined with in a truce? Losing someone is tragic, yes, even a man of fun like myself knows that. However, tragedy and comedy are always intertwined in life, and you need to stand through both. If you contacted me earlier, I would've supported you through your pain as we fight together against our nemeses, and I would have been there for you."

He's now hanging his upper body over the bar to keep himself steady, but Gabriel does look clearly at Bacchus. Realizing that Bacchus' words are touching his heart he tries to give an answer. An honest and heartfelt answer from the sane depts. Inside of him that those words deserve, but before he can say something the divine rant continues:

"But no, not anymore! You're in no way the guy I became friends with! If you're like this, then you're nothing more than a pampered brat who wants everything to go his way. There is not even a shimmer of kingship left in you. Any asshole like you who can only whine needs to fuck off, so I'm going to stop that cult alone! Stick that bottle up your mouth and choke in it, because I don't give a damn about you anymore!"

Bacchus storms away, but two seconds after he left the bar he goes back in for a final word: "In fact, the way you are now you don't even deserve my gifts." Bacchus points his palm at the bar, and chants a few words that causes a small ripple of power to flow through the bar. It isn't clear on sight what it does, but the god of wine gives some explanation: "If you think that you can stay here and use my domain to forget about your sorrows then think again! Get out, and become the better you again!"

The bartender still doesn't understand what just happened, and tries to pour a new glass of wine for Gabriel. However, instead of wine some watery substance flows out of the bottle. The bartender takes a sniff and a sip, and quickly determines the problem: "My wine, it all turned into water!" He tries the same with his other beverages, but whatever he tries there is only water left in the bar.

Smith notices this change too, and after a few gulps of water he throws the bottle on the ground, shattering the glass. He slams his head against the table, angered by what happened, by what happened to him. A few seconds later he raises his head again, this time with a new glint in his eyes, a small amount of newfound determination…

-x-

Outside of an abandoned warehouse stand two guards. They're both cultists, but to keep themselves obscure they're dressed in more civilian clothes. They stand huddled together in a guard booth to bear the cold weather, discussing ordinary everyday stuff.

"So, Eric, still troubled with getting a girlfriend?" The shorter of the two teases his friend about a lack of female love in life, which the other jokingly calls off:

"O shut it, I just didn't find the right person for me yet. Being a cultist doesn't exactly do wonders for your sex life, you know?"

"True, but there isn't even any girl inside the cult?"

"Nah, either they're crazy or they're dumb. I want some tall athletic girl with smarts to match. Is that so hard to ask?"

The shorter friend suddenly looks in the distance, where he sees what might be a lucky break. He points at this new thing, and tells his friend to look to: "How about her? She's tall and has an athletic build. Maybe if you're lucky, you might've just found your perfect wife!"

It's indeed what the guard searches for: A woman of above-average length and slender athletic build, with long blonde hair in a ponytail. She's dressed in a black fur coat, and her hands and legs both are covered in black leather. It's almost exactly what the guard looks for.

The taller guard likes the idea, so he approaches the woman. The initial response is positive, and she joins the guard for some small talk. After a minute or so he finally dares to say the most important question of his life: "But miss, I… I think I'm in love with you. Would you date m-"

And then he found a bullet in his forehead. The other guard draws his in response, but a second shot kills him too. The duo drop to the floor at the same time, leaving just the woman with her smoking gun.

She drops the gun, and much to the surprise of the audience pulls off her hair, revealing that it's a wig and underneath all the makeup is our god Bacchus! With the wig gone his clothes transform back into his purple toga, where he stands a bit disgusted over the confession, but mainly proud over what he did.

"And the other gods said that my powers over effeminacy and crossdressing were useless! That they gave me that domain out of pity because they didn't want it themselves! Ha, turns out that this is actually damn awesome!" He picks up the two assault rifles that the guards carried, carrying one in each hand. Just as he does that the alarm of the warehouse start to sign, and a rotating red light above the warehouse door starts shining.

Bacchus looks at the light, which indicates that his godly presence has been spotted. Bacchus doesn't seem miffed by it at all instead sporting a wicked smile on his face. "Guess I never was meant for the silent way to begin with." The god cocks his guns, and kicks open the door of the warehouse.

Immediately he starts firing his guns, shooting them at cultists who storm out of every corner of the building. These mages start firing an onslaught of spells, but they don't work at all against a god. Some get killed with bullets, other flee for their lives, and others keep a calm head and try to regroup before getting shot down as well.

Bacchus is well through half the warehouse, having killed more cultists then that there should be bullets in both of his guns. To be fair, he already has IDDQD. Who is to say he cannot use IDKFA as well _{3}_? Either way he keeps on going, continuously shredding through the warehouse like a storm of death.

However, eventually he stops as he feels something horrible: The ritual of resurrection is almost complete! Now he sprints to the back, where he must stop this at all costs. While he runs he doesn't forget to keep gunning, and cultists keep falling like flies behind him. Kicking the final door down he sees a group of ten cultists around a magic circle like the one that drained his power, and they're almost finished chanting!

Within a second he shoots the first four down, but he realizes that he is in trouble. There's six left, and this cult will take less than a second to summon their lord. This battle is slightly in favour of the cultists, as they will summon their god.

There's nothing that Bacchus can do, so he drops his gun and lets the summoning happen. Just as he does that a black blur rushes past him, and suddenly the circle dies down as all cultists are blown through the room.

Smith looks at where the blur came from, and sees Smith there in his feline form. The godslayer is back, and he just saved the day! The king transforms back to his masked superhero form, greeting Bacchus. The two give each other a short man hug, leading to Bacchus asking how his friend is: "Smith! I thought you were still drunk off your ass! Finally decided to show up, didn't you?"

"How could a king as I not help out my friend? It took me some sobering up to realise that I need to man up, accept my mistakes, and do what I'm supposed to do! One of my stature, how could he leave his own tasks to someone else?"

Smith doesn't know why, but that water Bacchus created out of the wine was surprisingly good at sobering up a drunk person. Was this all Bacchus' plan to begin with? What a fearsome ally!

"Yes, and you really did save the day. If the energy of even one more magus was added to that circle, then even we could not stop the second coming of the [King of Flies]. Glad we stopped this cult from achieving their goal."

Smith laughs, and gives a few assuring words. "Do not worry. I have some knowledge on the dismantling of circles like these. I'll call the Sorcerous Sacrilege Investigation to send me a disposal squad, and we can clean this up like it never happened."

"And then what?" Bacchus asks. "Now that our truce has ended, you want to restart our conflict? Find out which one of use is the stronger one?"

"Perhaps it's interesting to find out which one of us beats the other in combat, but I would rather keep someone like you as my friend." Smith extends a hand of true friendship, hoping that it will be accepted. "What do you say, perhaps we can extend our truce into a true friendship? I'm certain you'll be the bringer of interesting times!"

"Heh. Indeed, I must admit that I've grown quite attached to the king of these lands." Bacchus accepts the gesture, and the duo shakes on their newfound friendship. "Well, why not? I guess I don't have anything better to do."

The duo laugh at themselves, happy that they finally managed to truly become friends. Unbeknownst to them one of the final cultists, who was blow away by Smith's [Jaguar], managed to cling on to life. Realizing that he would die from his wounds if he were ignored, and die by torture if these inhuman bastards realize he's still alive, he decides to risk it all on a gamble.

He silently crawls over the floor, back to the circle. If he can just touch it, just the smallest of touch!

Another meter he crawls, and when Smith and Bacchus are looking away he makes a final leap. He makes some sound when he lands, causing the duo to look at this lone cultist. Much to the horror of the duo the cultist managed to get his hand into magic circle, and he doesn't waste a moment to pour his own energy in.

"M'loooord! Take my poweeer!" The cultist lets out a final scream, and his body explodes. His energy is the final tipping point, providing just enough energy to allow the summoning to take place. A powerful gust starts to blow from the circle, cutting through the warehouse and turning it into debris. Smith and Bacchus put their hands before their eyes, as the wind is too much to see through. When the gales finally subdue do these two look again, and see what kind of destruction the storm brought:

-x-

The warehouse has been ruined. It has all been blown away by the summoning of the deity, the [King of Flies].

It is a giant of a man, easily over two meters in height. A white beard and moustache covering the entirety of his lower face, along with an unkempt mane on his head. A body with bulging muscles, clad in very course attire: rags, a leather cuirass and a tattered cape, but still giving airs of a majestic hunter.

"It seems these followers have managed to successfully recover my body." Spoken with laughter in his tone, he looks at the king who is standing in front of him. "Though I must say, I did not expect that they would bring me a worthwhile enemy." The god laughs, creating a small earthquake from the power. Jovial and uninhibited does he greet Smith, though it's clear that if he was displeased he would go out of control like a storm.

The name of this god is instantly known amongst some moviegoers. "Ah, that guy…" Murmuring these words to himself Godou recognizes his former foe, god-king Melqart. Back in March, when he just became a king, he was forced to fight this deity. The resulting battle ended in a draw, and he never figured out where that god flew away to. To think that this would be how he would see him again, as a caricature in a movie.

Unbeknownst to Godou this Melqart he sees is not simply a very convincing actor. The one on the screen there is the actual god, as Shizuka can attest to.

After losing his body Melqart's ectoplasm drifted through the world for some time before being found by the cult of Kothar-wa-Khasis, a blacksmith god that was a close ally of Melqart. This cult was willing to help the god restore his body, and did so in the location best suited for the gathering of magical energy: The American city of Los Angeles. Just as Japan is a net for all that drifts eastwards, so too is Los Angeles a net for all that drifts westward, like magical energy. While Bacchus and Smith were busy coming up with ideas for a movie an alert was sound that this cult was close to summon a god. The duo sprinted to location and were just too late, leading to this scene. Realizing the potential Bacchus ordered his satyrs to film the upcoming battle, and that's where the idea for this movie comes from.

And Shizuka is kind of glad about this too. Bacchus original plan involved the story about a king who slew Uncle Sam, and had to fight against a cult who planned to plunge the world into eternal boredom by making use of an evil divine Elvis Presley. It would culminate in a battle which would be finished with the legendary 'Murica Punch! to blow up half a galaxy.

It's almost as terrible an idea as that show back in St Lucia, and Shizuka is actually glad that a god descended to keep Bacchus preoccupied with better ideas.

Back to the movie, where Smith and Bacchus are greeting this god in return. They are bummed that they couldn't stop his recovery, so now they must live with the consequences. Smith proceeds to ask a question of his own to this god: "As nice as pleasantries are, I cannot help but wonder what made us enemies. Calling someone an enemy on sight, just who could proclaim such a thing?"

"My name is Melquart, though I also like the name Baal, or Baal Hadad. I do not know how the inhabitants of this land call me, so you can use any of these names to address me." While his tone is still open, there is an underlying tone that explodes outwards, ravaging all in his path. "Not only am I a king, and the lord of the seas and storms, this Melqart is also a great hunter! When one sees prey, does he not want to hunt? Though my goal is that brat who slew Verethragna, I don't mind a little distraction. If a hunter sees a jaguar while hunting boars, will he not try to catch that prey as well?"

"Then a fight between us is inevitable, it seems." Smith has resigned himself to this fate, something that the sky god nods to. However, the king of Phoenicia does have one other question.

"Now, as for the other god here…" Melquart turns to Bacchus, now speaking jovially again. "I've got nothing against you. However, I do not approve of interference. Just stand on the side and watch me obtain victory!"

"Indeed, I'm always up for watching a good spectacle. There's nothing wrong with your offer." Bacchus takes a few steps back, before casually sitting down against a pillar. Having placed himself well he gives his final answer: "But I refuse! What I, Bacchus, want now more than anything else is to talk to a guy like you who thinks he's hot shit and say no straight to his face! Besides, Smith here is my friend. I'm not casually betraying him like that!"

"Kukuku… Kukukuku!" Laughing once more, and creating another small earthquake, Melqart accepts this answer. "Very well. Then I shall take you both on! O Wind, O Rain, O Thunder! By Melqart's true name of Baal Hadad, I summon! O Storm, listen to the calls of the cloud rider, make haste and come!"

Melqart summons two clubs in his hands, one enveloped in gales and the other in lightning. His authority, as well as his connection to the cult who summoned him, he'll use it as the start for this devil king exterminating battle.

Smith goes over his authorities: 1 shot of [The Freeshooter], 4 [Transformations], and [Mastery of Faerie]. That's all he has. Of them [Mastery of Faerie] has little combat use, [Pitch-black Bird] will only be advantageous for a god of war, and one transformation is too dangerous to use, leaving him with only three good attacks. It's a little on the low side for a battle against a divine king, but it will have to do.

Luckily for Smith one transformation is already ready to use. Bacchus had killed many cultists while trying to stop Melqart's resurrection, and there lies the sacrifice for the third of Smith's authorities:

"Here I stand as the creator, the judge of life itself! My shining self is first and final, the ever-constant changer of the nurturer. Those sacrificed for my cause, find yourself granted worth by the snake that created the world! Forsake your heart, and descend as giants!"

 _[The Snake Chamer]. The third form of Tezcatlipoca. I shall take the bodies of those slain by another, to gain the form of the world-creating snake. Those who were sacrificed for this power shall rise with me, as giants fighting for my cause._

Smith transforms into a massive winged snake, that must be at least fifty meters in length. Its jaw is wide enough to swallow a small house in a single bite, its scales are as dark as the night itself, and the wings are akin to those of a bat, making him look demonic in appearance. As for the mages, for every mage sacrificed a four-meter-tall humanoid comes into existence. These giants are featureless, with no face and a beige body of average build. The only noteworthy part is that there is a hole in the middle of each giant where their heart used to be, of around half a meter in diameter.

The giants charge at Melqart, but Smith self does not attack. "Hoh? To take on the form of a dragon when facing the vanquisher of the dragon king, your bravery is noted. However, minions like those need to be fought off with minions. Here, let me call upon my own!"

An unpleasant buzzing starts to ring, as a black mist approaches. Those are thousands of Melqart's subject, a swarm of locusts associated with his name of Beelzebub. The black swarm starts to crash into the warriors, eating away at the bodies while preventing to be squatted.

Meanwhile the draconic king starts to charge at Melqart, his fangs opened to swallow his enemy whole. He glides majestically through the air, at it looks almost natural that it will rip his enemy to shreds. The storm god on the other hand seems to think differently, chanting words of dragon-slaying to fight his opponent:

"From your throne of kingship you shall be driven, from the seat of your dominion cast out." Melqart brandishes his clubs, and with graceful, almost dance-like movement he closes in on the dragon. "On your head be Ayamur, between your shoulders Yagrush. May Horon split open and smash your head, and Anat thy skull! _{4}_ "

The lightning-clad club strikes Smith's head, empowered by the words of dragon-slaying. Smith staggers, his charge interrupted. Melqart takes this opening to deal another blow to what can be anatomically called the neck of the snake, followed by another to the jaw. In a clobbering rush the storm god deals large amounts of damage to the snake, who falls down in pain.

"Reveal yourself like a roaring bull, a snake with many heads, a goat of thunderous trampling, or in the shape of a lion spitting flames. Go, wild beast, and neigh and bark and grunt and roar and burn!"

The ground in front of Bacchus turns red, akin to a dangerous flame. Akin to a hellish beast there rises a monstrosity: A twenty-meter tall lion, with the horns of a bull, a snake as a tail, and a goat's head on the back. It's one of the most famous monsters in Greek myth, the legendary chimera!

This monster is the demonized side of Bacchus, just like Beelzebub is for Melqart. A wicked creation fused from all animals under Bacchus, its entire body oozes with evil energy.

Melqart however laughs, his jolly but bouldering tone resonating through the air. "Kakaka! Interesting! Now that is a worthy monster to hunt! God of wine, allow me to enjoy myself a little!"

John Pluto Smith, who is still in his draconic form, finds himself grabbed by his wings, as he gets thrown at the giant chimera. The lion head lets out a bellowing roar, shattering all windows in the area and lifting up the body of the gigantic snake with pure lung power, causing Smith to fly right over their heads, and quite far away from the battlefield. The chimera charges at Melqart, who is more than willing to take it on.

Bacchus meanwhile starts chanting new spell words of power, but he finds himself interrupted as the storm god speaks new words, now having a clash with the goat head of the chimera to see who has the most powerful lightning. "Battling this underling, it gives me such joy! However, let's not forget you, wine god. If I dealt with your divine beast, let me call upon my own servants to entertain you!"

The swarm of black locusts has finished eating the army of giants, and is now swarming to Bacchus' place. He has to abandon his own chant, and hastily focuses new words for his own defense.

Zap! Thunder strikes from the sky, but it's not the power of Melqart. If it were, it wouldn't strike him along with the Chimera and the locusts, hurting the former two and completely obliterating the latter. Instead it comes from one of the rooftops, where a single feminine voice complains about what's going on:

"And here I thought that my holiday couldn't get worse." There stands Sayuki, though now dressed in an altered version of that wolf's armor, with the stone of water at her side. It has to be said that the movie makers are pretty good with CGI and their tricks to replace Shizuka with her actor. "Bacchus, it seems that my fears were real. You completely failed to stop the cultists."

"Ey, Sayuki! Nice outfit!" The locusts have been destroyed, and Bacchus is free to act. He could call upon another of his powers, but instead he complements his ally on her outfit. Understandably, Sayuki shuts him up immediately.

"Bacchus, where's that idiot king?" the wine god points to the distance, claiming that he is very far away. Sayuki groans at that news, before turning to the storm god: "And greetings to you as well, unknown god. Tell me, who is the cause for all this destruction in the area?"

Melqart is a bit busy at the moment, ripping out the tail of the chimera while also telekinetically guiding the clubs to strike the snake head, but he still has it in him to formally greet back. "A third being of such power here? Kukuku…" Melqart chuckles to himself, though the voice is dimmed so that it isn't loud enough to cause a small earthquake with voice alone. "This one's name is Melqart, though there are several other names I will listen to. Girl, as interesting as meeting you is, I do not think it wisely to let myself be saturated by battle. I hold no qualms against you, so be free to leave the battlefield. Do not worry for this city, I shall return to my home after slaying these other two here, though not before making a small diversion to the country of the far east to slay that brat."

Sayuki sighs before putting up her shoulders, not liking her own answer to Melqart's response. "Then I should say sorry, but I cannot allow you to do that. Most likely you talk about my home country of Japan and the other king residing there, and I don't appreciate destructive interlopers."

"In that case I shall overindulge myself a bit! Fighting two kings and a god at the same time, hoho, even I might be challenged for once!" Melqart chants new spell words, while continuing to fight the chimera. The spell is akin to the one he used to call upon the swarm of locusts, but this time there is no black mist approaching. Instead the sky above the chimera turns pitch-black, which is a good indicator for what he plans to summon:

A total length equaling the chimera; Long black leathery wings, with a white skull on top of each of the wings; A long and spiky stinger which could cause death with even the smallest of scratches; A hairy but nimble body, functioning at lightning-quick reflexes; a pair of jagged mandibles and a thin proboscis, both looking very capable of killing anything; a pair of large insectoid eyes shining in all sorts of colors capable of looking everywhere; All of that forms together in the most feared kind of creature:

A gigantic bug.

Ew.

Ew ew ew ew.

Sayuki looks with absolute disgust at that monster, knowing fully well that she has to deal with it. It was even worse for the actual eight king, who may not be entomophobe but still doesn't feel comfortable with insects, especially when they are this size. That beast might be partially responsible for why Shizuka barely slept for three days after the battle was over.

The insect flies up, knocking over the building Sayuki is standing on and crumbling it to dust. The younger king is forced to move, and decides to change her own arena to a place with less deities.

This leaves the two gods alone, who continue their fight. Melqart has rid the divine beast of two of his three heads, but Bacchus lands on the chimera's back too. Melqart stands near the lion's head, the only one remaining, while Bacchus is standing near the rear.

"Well then, king of the gods, mind if take this battle a bit more seriously? I cannot keep on sending minions at my enemy, doing so would leave me with a bad image."

"Indeed, those words are true. Then you challenge me, a king of war, to a duel? Interesting, I accept!"

Melqart rushes at Bacchus, but quickly finds his movements sealed. From the back of the beast grows a large batch of ivy, entangling all around the Phoenician king.

"Still playing by your old tricks?"

"Of course!" Bacchus starts to grin, explaining the situaiton: "You see, I'm not really that strong. I have a lot of fun authorities, but they're not really useful for combat. If I were standing here alone I would probably lose. However, since when did I say you are fighting just me?"

The screen cuts to a half-destructed flat, which has barely survived the impact of a crashing dragon. Standing in front of it is everyone's favorite superhero, his gun raised at the camera. The camera turns to show that he is not aiming at the people in the audience, but towards the giant chimera. A small scope is placed over the revolver, showing that the crosshairs are aimed at Melqart himself.

"One final shot. Perfect aim is crucial." Smith speaks these words to himself, almost in self-hypnosis. The last chamber in his revolver glows, charging enemy for the sixth and final shot. If he aims well then this will be the end of this battle. Smith pulls the trigger, releasing a ton of white energy that is aimed at Melqart.

The god himself has clear sight of it too, realizing his mistake. If that hits he'll be in a lot of pain. Worse, he cannot stop it! All he can do is brace himself and hope fate will save him.

…

And for some unfathomable reason, fate does. The Chimera lets our a deafening roar of victory, causing bellowing gales to blow, slightly affecting the dragon bullet and changing it course. If that works, then perhaps there's still a chance!

Melqart uses Yagrush to create even more wind, and this is in fact strong enough to blow the bullet away from him. If Smith was closer he could redirect it, but at this distance of several hundred meters that is impossible.

Worst of all, the bullet is redirected as such that it directly hits Bacchus, throwing him off the chimera and greatly hurting the god of wine. Even Melqart is dumbstruck at how lucky he just was.

Not planning to waste that luck Melqart quickly breaks free, before destroying the final head of the chimera with his clubs. The monster sinks down, dissolving into particles. With this nuisance gone he can finally deal the final blow to the god of wine.

Bacchus lies down on the ground, his entire body hurting. Damn, how could Smith's attack hit him? Were those winds really that powerful? He can only watch as Melqart walks at him, and offers his final goodbyes. Melqarts lifts lightning-clad Ayamur, and swings down to give Bacchus a one-way ticket to the underworld.

Except that he doesn't. Just as he is halfway through the swing he gets struck with powerful lightning, and shout it out in pain. When the lightning clears Melqart is still standing, but his body is somewhat charred from that strike.

Melqart looks away from his beaten prey, and looks in the distance at the direction of the attack. The camera follows, and zooms in on a black giant in the middle of the building destroyed by Smith's impact. The building is burning and disappearing, a result of the fifth king's authority:

 _[The Archmage]. First of the five transformations. At the cost of sacrificing a large man-made object like a flat, this authority transforms me into a lightning-manipulating giant!_

And what for a giant it is! Standing at fifteen meters tall, he is covered in pitch-black flesh and a right foot of obsidian. Horizontal yellow stripes cross his face as war paint, and he is adorned in brightly-colored fabric of red, orange and black, with avian feathers decorating it all. In his left hand he holds a large Aztec shield and in his left a lightning-clad javelin, one of the many that are left in the cylinder on his back.

"To be struck twice with my own domain, I cannot help but think I'm going senile. To think that I forgot all about you, king!" Melqart laughs at the situation in front of him, accepting the challenge of the giant. With a single shout Melqart too grows in size, ending up only slightly shorter than Smith's Archmage.

The giant storm god runs at his target, who in return throws the javelin in his hand. The javelin moves like a lightning bolt, but gets dodged with a single hit from lightning-clad Ayamur. Smith pulls out a short spear from the cylinder on his back, meant for a fight in close-ranged combat.

In a single second the spear gets thrusted four times: heart, head, left shoulder and right lung. The first three blows get nimbly evaded, and the fourth countered with Yagrush.

From the counter with Yagrush Melqart continues his attack, using a leg swipe to make Smith lose balance. To prevent this the superhero jumps up in the air, but that was exactly according to Melqart's plan.

Repositioning himself on his swiping foot Melqart uses his other foot to perform a destructive kick, strong enough to shatter through the Aztec shield Smith is carrying. Using the remaining item Smith has currently equipped he tries to stab Melqart's eyes out, but that too is to no avail.

As Melqart performed his combo of leg attacks he let go of Ayamur, which flew behind his back and outside of Smith's sight. Now it has shown itself, smashing against the haft of the spear. The spear is not made to withstand forces like these, and shatters as a response. With no weapon to fight Smith finds himself dealt a blow by the other club, and Yagrush smacks right in Smith's side.

"Kakaka, so this is the limit of a devil king?" Melqart starts laughing, as he throws the weight of his body around to deal another devastating blow. "Though that is natural, of course." Smith tries to counter, but he finds himself lacking in power. "A king is a lone being. The weak bow down to the strong, and the strongest is named king. That is to say, me!"

The duo continues with trading blows, but it's clear who has the advantage. Compared to the ancient dragon hunter, who has obtained battle experience through centuries of fighting, Smith is a complete novice at a battle of pure strength. How could a devil king compare in power to that olden king? No, Smith cannot obtain victory like this.

Smith tries to sucker punch his enemy, but find his sparks of lightning countered by wind-clad Yagrush. "True, you are a human who obtained victory against a god, but against what?" Melqart swings Ayamur the Driver, launching a majestic uppercut that blows Smith's body a few dozen meters away. Melqart calmly walks over to his enemy, who tries to regain himself from that blow, but finds his legs grabbed by the Phoenician god. "A god of the night is but a minor character in comparison to the likes of me!"

Melqart puts the other giant's feet between his shoulders, and starts to spin around. Known in the wrestling world as the Giant Swing _{5}_ , here we see a perfect execution of that move. He spins faster and faster, until he hits the speed limit and lets his grip go.

Smith's [Archmage] form flies a long distance through several buildings, leaving only destruction in his wake. Unlike the throw he suffered in draconic form now he can stand up and regain himself, as Melqart still only moves in a leisurely pace towards his enemy. However, that there is a weakness that Smith is willing to make use of, as in the corners of his eyes he sees a chance for victory:

He has landed very close to Sayuki, his peer, who has just taken out the divine beast that kept her busy. Of course, that was to be expected. Even though that giant locust is likely one of the strongest divine beasts in the world, it cannot compare to a king. The question wasn't if Sayuki would win, but when.

With her available some new plans open up for the fifth devil king. He calls his peer, asking how many stones she has left.

"There's just my power over fire left." She summons [Fire] into this world, a sign that that is the only power that is still usable.

"Good enough." Smith can use that. That single stone is the tipping point between victory and defeat. "Wait until I say when to use it."

Smith too walks towards his enemy, but with an entirely different attitude from before. "Perhaps you're right, divine king of storms. Between the two of us you hold the greater right to kingship."

Melqart stops for a little, letting out a "Hmm?" as he looks at his opponent. Why would he suddenly admit such a thing?

"However, if you do not behave as a king, then others will rise up and fight against your rule. With you acting as you are right now, it's no wonder that others challenge you for your right!"

"Kakaka…" A loud, bellowing laugh, as the god-king laughs at these words. "So my kingship is wrong? Pah, it's those very words of yours that are wrong! Why can the strongest not do as he wish? It's the right he obtained by his own power!"

"No, that's wrong." The distance between the two is only a meter or fifty, so it will only take a few seconds before they start to fight again in this wrecked Los Angeles. "As we are kings who hold power, we're forced to live by the rules of noblesse oblique. Or as they say, that with the power of a king must also come the responsibility of a king. Someone who does not look after his own subjects will naturally find his people stolen by another king."

"Then compare that responsible kingship to my absolute rule! Show me the stronger of the two!" Melqart chants new spells words for his storm, as the clouds pack even tighter above him. Lightning descends all around the divine king, destroying everything in a radius around him.

Smith simply charges at his opponent, using all his energy to get close to this king. He plans to grab him, and use his final transformation to kill this god.

"Naïve, king, naïve!" Thunder descends from the heavens, and both clubs swing at blinding speeds at Smith. It's such a strong combination of attacks that his body completely disintegrates.

No, wait, that's not true. Melqart admits that a durable body like that of his opponent would leave some trace behind. There's no way that he could've disappeared like that!

The god's words turn true as from out of nowhere his enemy reappears, like a shimmer that turned to life. Before Melqart can wonder what that was he can hear a familiar voice call out to him, cockily claiming that trick for himself.

"Still so certain about your strikes, Melqart?" On the top of a nearby roof stands Bacchus, still heavily wounded and struggling to stand tight. Even so he came out here, to taunt his enemy. "If you had paid even the slightest attention to my strike you would notice that I had already infected you. With madness comes frenzy, insanity, and of course hallucinations!"

Melqart realizes his mistake, the falsehood he just attacked at full power, but finds himself unable to do something about it. His weapons are in mid-swing and going downwards, unable to get up in time to hit America's king. His lightning is too close to hit, and one strike wouldn't be enough to down Smith. He's completely open to his enemy's attack.

"I'll leave the final attack to you, Smith." Bacchus falls on one knee, too exhausted to continue fighting. Using his powers to create a final illusion was the last thing he could do.

"Leave the rest to us kings, Bacchus." Smith hugs his enemy tightly with strong grip, holding him in place with a bear hug. He cannot make an attack from this position, but that isn't where he is going for: "Sayuki, now!"

Upon saying these words the younger kings wastes no time, as she activates the spell words for the final part of her authority: "This fire is radiant and powerful, incinerating all in its way!"

A huge pillar of fire springs forth from the stone, large enough to completely envelop the two gargantuan figures.

"Hooooh!" Melqart screams out in pain, as the flames start to burn him and his enemy away. "A king like you… why… why would you…" Melqart is speechless by this action, unsure how to take this action of his enemy. "Carelessly throwing your life away, what kind of king are you?"

"Incorrect, god-king." With pained grunts Smith speaks, disagreeing with these words of his enemy. "As the devil king ruling over this city, I just performed the greatest of noble deeds. This is my will of sacrifice and obliteration, Melqart!"

"Hmph, even so, I will not die here. To lose against such a kingship, absolutely unforgivable!" Melqart launches thunder down, intending to strike down.

Thunder strikes the two of them, fusing with the flames to lash out even more power on Smith. However, his body starts to dissolve with a final chant of Smith:

"In order to destroy you, let me tell you about my greatness." Smith's giant body starts to dissolve and turn into mist, letting Melqart get hit by the full force of Sayuki's fire. "As the omnipotent one, all citizens exist for my use. The people are my slaves, I am the wind of the night, I rule the earth and the sky, I am the most noble mage!"

 _My final transformation, the [Flames of Annihalation]. An incarnation of the sun, burning away the enemy with black flames. As a sacrifice, all local rainfall is halted for some time. That, and I sacrifice… myself._

"I am the axe of the night that calls forth termination! The god of creation and destruction!"

The mist turns into black flames, consuming Melqart together with the red flames and the thunder. "Nyooooooh! Uuwooooo!" The storm god screams it out in pain, his body consumed by the multitude of powers. After ten or so seconds the screaming dies down, as the flames die out. Where once stood Melqart now stand a completely charred humanoid. Its entire body is black as soot, baked like a crisp. And John Pluto Smith, America's superhero…

…is gone. He sacrificed his own life to defeat this enemy, dealing the final blow to the Phoenician king: The burned body of Melqart crumbles, his body disappearing like ash in the wind. The thunderclouds disperse, and rays of light shine down on Sayuki and Bacchus' faces. They realize it, that this battle is finally over.

They've won.

-x-

Six days have passed since the battle with Melqart. God and godslayer dealt mortal wounds to each other, successfully slaying each other. As for Los Angeles… it's recovering, busy with repairing the damage from the great clash. The buildings get rebuild, but for those who died the survivors can only mourn.

The funeral for Gabriel Bishop was for the most part empty. Not many knew the mysterious superhero to begin with, who occupied most of his social life with keeping the streets clean of evil. It is a simple grave, not spectacular in any way.

Twenty people or so attended. Most of them were part of the Sorcerous Sacrilege Investigation, who lost their most important member. There are only two people who do not belong to that group, both beings who stand on the same level as the late king.

"Hah… what a holiday." The first one is the eighth king, now dressed in black attire rented for this event. "I just wanted some rest, but it turned out to be quite absurd. I've met several gods, along with a king I had to part with soon after I came to know him. Really, why can't nothing go in the way I want?" It's easy to read that she's annoyed by all this, though there is a hint of sorrow detectable.

"And yet you're still around." The other is of course Bacchus, whose normal happy smile is for once replaced with a somber expression. "You could've simply moved away from this city, and spend the rest of your trip in peace, but you didn't. In fact, why are you still around?"

"And leave the people of this city in your hands? If I left I probably would be so worried I couldn't sleep!"

Bacchus gives a short chuckle, laughing at those words. "Perhaps. Or perhaps you simply liked being with us." Bacchus steps forward, starting to offer a new idea for his friend. "In fact, why not stay together? We've made a pretty good team together, and I think Japan can spare a king. Why not stay here in this city?"

"Sorry, but I'll pass." Sayuki shrugs off that deal, not needing to think over that one twice. "Unlike you I actually have friends and family to return to."

"Hahaha, that's pretty hurtful to say, y'know?" Bacchus playfully acts as if his feelings have been hurt. "But eh, do that if you want. No king is the same. I won't blame you for choosing your own path."

"Of course, I'll do what I want. That's how I obtained kingship to begin with." Sayuki turns towards Bacchus, now giving him the questionable look. "The question is, what will you do? Most of my peers tend to hunt lone gods like you down, so there's not many a place you can freely go to."

"Well, perhaps you are right. Maybe I should go towards my family and friends, just like you did. Since I don't have any family left, and one of my friends is death, I should go with my other friend. Perhaps I shou-"

"Sorry, but I don't have any rooms for rent back at home." Before Bacchus can finish his proposal Sayuki already denied it. "Though you're still welcome for a short visit."

"Well, that's a bummer. There goes my plan." Bacchus laughs away that plan, and even Sayuki joins in with a small chuckle or two. When the laughter dies down Bacchus gives his serious answer: "But seriously, I plan to stay here. Perhaps I want to protect this city, stop evil cultists and the likes."

"He really rubbed off on you, didn't he?" Sayuki shakes her head, a smile on her face. To think that the bond between god and king has gone so far.

"Well, what can I say? That's what friends do." Bacchus also smiles, reminiscing him who has fallen. The duo look at each other, as they prepare their final goodbye.

Bacchus hugs the young king, who looks rather uncomfortable. The Japanese are not that big on personal contact like that. "Well, see ya, my friend. Don't you dare forget about me!"

"I couldn't forget a guy like you if I tried. Take care. Don't forget that you're always welcome in Japan!" The two give each other a final glance before walking away, each in their own direction, and towards their own goals.

From a nearby hilltop a lone figure watches over these two. A person covered in suit, cape and insectoid mask, the hero of Los Angeles, arisen from the dead. Silently he watched, and now he too turns around. Turning around, Smith flutters his cape over the camera, making the screen go black. A final song plays, indicating that this movie is now over.

-x-

Credits start to roll now that the movie has ended. Several people exit their seats, having enjoyed the movie and hoping to catch the next sub back home. Shizuka on the other hand keeps sitting and urges her friends to do the same, because she knows there is one final scene afterwards:

After the credits end they show not something American, but instead it goes to a Japanese bedroom… or at least Japan-inspired, the bed and nightstands are very European in origin. A bit of movement in the bed can be seen, heavily implying some form of sexual activity. The sliding door on the side opens, where a woman dressed in what could best be described as medieval knight cloth adjusted to modern fashion.

This woman, of slender build with a black bob-cut, kneels down as she enters the room, answering to one of those in the bed: "Milord, the cult we've sponsored has successfully managed to resurrect heretic Melqart. H-However…" The woman starts to waver in her speech, realizing that she is the bringer of bad news. It has always been an unfavourable job, as the rewards for such delivery are unpleasant. "…After his rebirth… he was slain by the American king, John Pluto Smith, who died too in mutual destruction."

In the bed a Japanese young man sits up, much to the dismay of the two girls he's sharing it with. Considering that they are all naked there is an implication that they were just interrupted in their sexual activity. He promises his blonde and brunette that he'll be back soon, before walking nakedly over to the girl. With charm he speaks to the black-haired girl, giving her words of encouragement: "Don't worry about it. It wouldn't do for someone like you to make such an ugly face. Both as a king and as a lover, neither will punish you. But if it's punishment you seek, then let me indulge a bit." Forcefully he gives her a deep kiss, and she quickly accepts and kisses back.

After a long kiss this man stands up, grabs a bathrobe from a nearby chair and walks to the balcony, looking out over a wide river with Japanese architecture on both sides. "If my enemy has already been slain…" He mutters to himself, his words growing in strength and volume. "Yes, perhaps I should bring a visit to the victor. Knowing Smith there's no way he croaks this quickly, so I'm certain I can find him for some fun."

The screen goes black, showing off the name of the upcoming sequel: "Pluto and Bacchus vs. The slayer of Verethragna."

Now the switch in Godou's mind flips, as he realizes just who was supposed to be this guy shown in the hook: It was him. It took the seventh king several moments to process this information. To be compared to, to tha-to that! A sexual deviant who walks around naked and forcefully kisses girls? Who the hell does Smith think he is for making such a false accusation?!

"Eh, It's quite similar to the [Youth] form." Erica remarks, surprisingly agreeing with what was shown on screen. "For something that John Pluto Smith has never seen before, his accuracy is astonishing."

"E-Erica…" Godou cannot believe that his oldest ally can make such remarks. How is that in any way similar? "How is that figure on the screen in any way similar to me? It's complete rubbish!"

"Godou, though the wording was different, your actions did seem quite alike." Softly Erica mumbles a bit about why the person who is clearly supposed to be Liliana has black hair, but Godou wants to object to other "inaccuracies":

Yet as Godou wants to retort, Mariya seems to make the situation worse: "While this was certainly an exaggeration, the fundament it's built on is quite correct."

"Yes, though it's not accurate compared to the current moment, but it's likely to see development in this direction." Liliana too can see some parts overlap with the current king, though that's not all. "Ten years, twenty years? Kusanagi Godou, as your prime knight I cannot help but wonder when you will act as shown here."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll always be normal, acting like I am supposed to. That what you see there will never ever happen!" Godou stands up, annoyed at all ridicule. If he wants to do something about it he should talk to the one responsible. Leaving the four girls for a short while he plans to make a short phone call.

Smith is not one to give out his number freely. While Godou does not have that number, he does know someone who can help him come in contact. He has to try a few times to get contact, but eventually a groggy voice answers on the other side of the phone:

"Who needs to make a phone call at half past five in the morning? This better be important." There sounds Annie Charlton, one of the mages who probably knows how to contact Smith. Godou feels a bit sorry for waking her up, but he would rather not postpone this any longer.

"Miss Charlton? This is Kusanagi Godou speaking. Sorry for waking you up so early in the morning, but I need to speak with Smith, preferably sooner than later. I would rather not fly all the way to Los Angeles to speak with him."

"Kusanagi Godou?" Annie sounds a bit surprised, but does answer back politely. "Give me a minute or two. I cannot give you his number but I'll make sure he calls you." With that Annie hangs up the phone, leaving Godou waiting for a while.

After ninety seconds of waiting Godou gets a phone call from an anonymous caller, which he quickly picks up: "Hello hello? With Kusanai Godou, am I speaking with Smith right now?"

"Naturally, the one on this side of the phone is I, John Pluto Smith." Spoken with regal and leading tone, it's quite the difference from the sleepy Annie. "So, my friend and peer, what can I help you with?"

"What the hell is wrong with that movie of yours?!" Godou completely breaks face, feeling no need to speak with any form of politeness. Sure, Smith is probably the only king Godou can build a truly positive relation with, the eighth notwithstanding, but that does not mean that he likes him. That childish superhero, now he completely besmirched Godou's good name! "Why did you depict me in that manner?"

"You mean the hook for the sequel? Hmm, I agree that I had to villainize you a bit to make you fulfil the role of the antagonist, but brought down to its most basic concept it is entirely based on how any mage would describe you."

"How am I the basis for any of that? I'm just an ordinary guy trying to live an ordinary life. What part of me is like that?"

"…" Smith ponders for a while on how to answer that. How do you explain something so obvious? "Do you truly need an answer for that? No, perhaps you cannot see it for yourself. Alec was right, you are quite the hypocrite."

"Hey!"

"Now, as for how the sequel goes… if you want to have any say in it, then your peer recommends that you come with us to Los Angeles. Bacchus would be delighted to have you around, and you could even influence your depiction. If you do accept, please call one of my subordinates so I know you are coming. It wouldn't do for John Pluto Smith to leave a king like you unsupervised."

With that Smith hangs up the phone, leaving Godou alone and frustrated. The mood of the movie has been spoiled, leaving him with a bad aftertaste. Ugh, this feeling will leave him sour for quite some time.

-x-

 _January 27_ _th_ _, Friday, late evening, Kusanagi residence._

It has been almost a week since the movie of last Saturday, and quite a lot has happened since then:

On Sunday, the day after the movie, the Kusanagi residence was quite surprised to see Kusanagi Godou in a slump. It's been ages since the last time he suffered from some depression or anger that lasted longer than an hour. Neither of them could get out what exactly was the problem, the only clues he gave were "Lies", "Slander" and "Openly publicized".

Shizuka decided to leave him be and focus on the other problem she heard of: Helping Yui's dad to get a job. After making some calls to her mother she managed to get this man a job in the goods transport. Shizuka did not exactly question what was transported, but the act of transporting is standard enough that it cannot be called illegal.

Of course, this only solved the problem of general income. Shizuka did already plan with Yui to make a trip to South Korea, where the duo would spend the golden week together. With the father temporarily jobless there is a decrease in income, causing them to burn through the reserve money Yui's family has spared. At least she needs to obtain more money if such a holiday abroad were to happen.

Sure, Shizuka could simply lend however much she needs, or even extort others out of money using her kingship, but that wouldn't fit. It is better for someone to earn their own money, so they can enjoy the holiday to the fullest. A part-time job is functional, but inefficient. If you want to work purely for the sake of money, it's better to start your own business than to work for a fixed salary.

Luckily for the two of them the perfect opportunity arrived. They caught wind that the Kameido Tenjin shrine _{6}_ would hold a festival on the upcoming Thursday. It's the yearly bullfinch exchange ritual _{7}_ , which means that merchants will be attracted to set up their own stalls. Who is to say that Shizuka can't have her own stall there?

It took quite a bit of preparation to gather all the necessary procedures and equipment. The investments were easy to obtain. Daddy dotes on Shizuka, so he's willing to invest capital, and both siblings have more than enough money to bring in money too. Even Yui invested money in here, from whatever remained.

The harder part was obtaining a stall. There are all kinds of conditions and procedures for setting one up, but most of them were dealt with quickly. Obtaining a good spot was the hardest, considering how little time remains until the festival. Luckily a certain participating organization "suddenly cancelled" for "unidentified reasons". Since mother Mayo is a drinking buddy of the city councillor, the making of a good opportunity like that was settled within an hour by sponsoring a good bottle of wine.

Then came the hygiene and supervision. Someone of Shizuka's age is not allowed to run the stand, there needs to be at least one adult working at the stall. Normally this would be a bit more problematic, as Shizuka would be forced to loan some flunky from her mother. However, a king like her might know a few connections, perhaps a few young-looking adults who are students and can always use a side job.

Sakura and Fuyuhime both were willing to work for a wage of 940 yen per hour, as well as childhood friend Tokunaga Asuka for the slightly lower wage of 850 yen per hour. It's the difference between a high school student and an adult.

But this combination of manpower has another advantage: when five girls, whose apparent ages are between 10 and 16, man a stand on a festival it's certain to attract a larger crowd than a mixed group of workers. If people are buying food purely for the saleswoman, then they are still buying food, and they are still making Shizuka a profit.

The fried noodle stand made a killing, using the appetizing fragrance of the sauce with the lovely hospitality of the girls. Shizuka doubts any other stand made that much money.

After paying everyone their respective piece of the winnings the remaining shares of Yui and herself was a little below 200,000 yen, more than enough for the holidays. And now, one day later, she's using the family computer to look things up on the web to shop for used travel gear. From bags to backpacks to tents to clothing, there's a lot to find. However, one advertisement in the corner of the page interests her, if only because she was involved in it:

Cinema tickets for Pluto & Bacchus. Now that she sees it again she is somewhat interested in the public opinion on that movie. Opening another page she googles for the movie itself, along with its success. What she saw there almost made here laugh out loud, something she could barely supress as she reads what's written there:

 _Pluto & Bacchus vs. The King of Flies was highly praised by the critics, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it the lowest score, a weighted average of 98%. It is a great start of the 2011 movie business, and a hopeful message for the future._

 _Box office sales have not been as great. The sudden announcement of this film, along with a lack of advertisement and no previous credentials of the director led to movie ending thirteenth in the box office, only making 7 million dollars while estimations were around 25-35 million for the first seven days._

 _The only positive for this movie is that if the sequel is of the same quality this could become next year's bestselling movie._

He failed! Bacchus failed! Shizuka cannot believe it. That annoying god finally got some form of righteous karma dumped on him for all he's done!

To be fair, Shizuka cannot say that she hates Bacchus. He's not evil, and with the American king by his side he's also not a menace to the populace. It's quite simply that Bacchus pisses her off. He's the type of guy who forces others into his own pace, much to the annoyance of Shizuka, who cannot steer herself out of trouble. Some retribution is at least deserved.

Yes, that was a good message to hear. With renowned spirit Shizuka closes the tab, marking the end of this chapter of her life. Hopefully the future will be a bit less crazy.

-x-

{1} Siu Mai: A siu mai, also called shumai, is a type of traditional Chinese dumpling, except it originated from Mongolia. It was intended to be eaten as a snack with a cup of tea, but in recent years it found popularity as a starter dish or sometimes even as breakfast.

{2} Aequitas: Roman goddess of justice, equality, symmetry, fairness and honest measures. Wields the cornucopia in one hand and the balance scales in the other.

{3} IDDQD and IDKFA: Classic Doom cheat codes. The former activates god-mode, and the latter gives you all keys, weapons and full ammunition.

{4} Horon and Anat: The former is a lesser-known Canaanite god of destruction who helped Melqart slay Yam, and the latter is a Semitic war goddess who is Melqart's lover and consort.

{5} Giant Swing: A wrestling move in which you spin the body of your opponent around, and then you either let him go or just lower him to the ground. Signature move of WWE wrestler Antonio Cesaro.

{6} Kameido Tenjin shrine: A shrine in Tokyo dedicated to the worship of Tenjin, Japanese deity of scholarship. It's nowadays much more popular to view Wisterias, but that does not decrease the popularity of this shrine.

{7} Bullfinch exchange festival: Known as Usokae-Shinji in Japan. The bullfinch is regarded as good luck in Japan, and protects against fire. At this festival people exchange old carved wooden bullfinches for new ones. This year it takes place on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of Janauary at the Kameido Tenjin shrine.

-x-

And this ends the fourth arc. The movie is over, and it's about time! This was perhaps one of the hardest chapters to write, maybe because I felt that this chapter has a few rushed parts… even though it's the longest chapter yet. Heck I almost should've used three chapters for the movie.

As you might have guessed from the name the actor playing Gabriel Bishop/John Pluto Smith is none other than Ryan Reynolds. He's also probably the only actor who would agree to spend half the movie under a mask. As for Sayuki's actor, in our world she would only become a known actor after suicide squad, but here she became an actor seven years early.

But otherwise, I'm glad that there's another chapter for you to read, and let's hope that the first chapter of the fifth arc won't take that long to come out.


	14. Arc 5: Back to the Future

_Saturday, 9_ _th_ _of February, very late afternoon, southern forests of Okinawa_

When people talk about kings, they expect glorious people orchestrating the movement of a country. They see leaders, in fancy palaces with exquisite outfits and fabulous looks. On that note:

"Why are we here again?" Shizuka is looking quite the opposite of that kingly image right now. Instead of a fancy palace she's trekking through Okinawa's sub-tropical forests, her black blouse tightly clinging to her body because of all the sweat and dirt she accumulated over this trip, and her face blushing from the heat. Even though it's February the temperatures in this southern part of Japan is still above 20 degrees Celsius, and the sunlight is shining quite harshly.

"Because a divine beast has been sighted in the vicinity, and we need someone to kill it." Fuyuhime and Sakura are joining Shizuka on this tour, looking just as exhausted and dirty as their king. It's the result from an entire day of tracking residual mana in the air to find this single divine beast. Thus far they're unsuccessful, though the thickening mana is a sign they're getting closer.

"And they had to send me? I'm not aware that divine beasts are entities against which the likes of me are needed." Shizuka is still not happy that she had to do this. Sure, school is out and both Kusanagi males are away from home, leaving her free to do as she pleases. However, hunting is not exactly a hobby of hers… well, except for that one time she was hunting hares with her father in Russia. That was fun. This on the other hand is not.

"Well…" Sakura looks quite uncomfortable, speaking what can be regarded as absolute truth. "Humans aren't that strong in nature. Shizuka-chan, if a team of experienced agents from the committee went to fight this beast, I'm not quite sure whether they can obtain victory."

Power is unfairly spread in this world. Even the strongest of humans are only on the levels of low-level divine beasts, and only the Campiones exist to protect against the beings above. That is why Shizuka is needed for this mission, as she can probably defeat this enemy with the use of only single stone.

"The only real option we have is to let one of the kings have a go at it. Since your peer took care of the latest threat, they decided it would be good if you took care of this one."

Shizuka clicks her tongue in annoyance. Sure, fighting the supernatural is one of the duties she obtained from becoming a king, but can't it all come later? She enjoyed her time doing nothing!

"Shh!" Sakura silences the other two, making the other two join her hiding spot behind a bush as she points in the distance. Ahead is the troublemaker they're looking for. An adult fox with shiny red fur, it's main abnormality is that it has four tails instead of one, and would look like a rather cute pet were it not for the fact that it's feasting on the corpse of a bear. It's quite clear to everyone what this beast is:

"A kitsune?"

"Yes, and I think it's of the Zenko Chikyu species _{1}_. Look, it completely pierced that poor bear with those stakes of earth." Sakura gives a good explanation of the animal. A kitsune, huh? That explains why he was so hard to find, the animal is known for being a shapeshifting trickster in mythology.

Now that Shizuka has the element of surprise she needs to kill this beast before he can escape again. Silently summoning the white stone of wood next to her side she sees that using her power a bit alerted this beast only slightly, as all he did was summon a small plateau of earth to indicate that he's on alert. Good, Shizuka has a plan for destroying this beast.

"Sakura-chan, Fuyuhime-chan, would it be possible for you two to bring out your weapons for me?" Since Sakura was made a witch in December she too became eligible to obtain a weapon from the committee. However, since Shizuka was on vacation to the Caribbean during that time she was unable to be there at the ceremony, and Fuyuhime had to take her place. She still dislikes that she couldn't be there, though Kusinada Rei and the other witches who were appointed did not mind the lack of Campione. They both begin to softly chant, making sure not to further alert the fox:

"The blade of war never stops; the blade of battle never ends. Chishuuha, blade of unlimited battlefields, I ask of you to appear in the hands of this witch!"

"Unabating tears of Jaaku na Gunsen _{2}_ , cut with the sorrow of the orphaned princess, rend the hearts of those who see it dance!" In both witches' hands their weapons appear, Fuyuhime's half-sword half-spear nagamaki, while in Fuyuhime's hand a weapon of an entirely different nature appears:

It's a purple folding fan with pointy steel rods of around three-foot-long, with lacquered leather holding the construction together. Gold linings and white feathers decorate this weapon, making it seem more like a regal work of art than an actual weapon. It's in shrill contrast to Fuyuhime's weapon, whose black-grey and rough appearance makes it look a lot more practical.

But don't let either of them fool you. They're magical weapons meant for battle. Each of these magical weapons is a conductor for magic, allowing the mage wielding the weapon to easily perform transmutation or other kinds of magic. The better weapons also have special properties of their own: Erica's Cuore di Leone element is [Steel], while Liliana's Il Maestro is [Music].

Fuyuhime's fan has the element of [Poison], where even a scratch of that blade injects deadly poisons. Why it was given to someone as gentle as Sakura Shizuka doesn't know, but that attribute makes it perfect for her plan: Borrowing the weapon she starts with a divine chant of her own.

"O weapon of sorrow, become the invincible winds that slay the gods themselves!" Shizuka learned during her battle with Karna that there is danger in using the environment as a weapon when the opponent can manipulate it as well. Therefore, instead of creating winds she enchants Fuyuhime's weapon, creating a device that cannot be controlled by the enemy. This is her proof of growth as a king! "Let those who oppose me suffer miserable deaths! Now begone!"

The fox too notices the magic, and starts to flee. It's too late, as Shizuka attacks by throwing the fan at the beast. The weapon starts to emit poisonous winds, and within two seconds the fan has turned into a purple hurricane of destruction, destroying all on its path.

The kitsune cannot flee, so it makes earth rise from the ground and form a protective bowl-shaped stronghold around himself. The earth cracks a bit, but the winds do not penetrate to the beast itself. Oh well, it wasn't really Shizuka intention for this to be the killing blow. That's why she had Fuyuhime call out her weapon. A simple hand gesture indicates that the other witch can use her weapon:

"None shall flee from battle. However far you go, my glorious self will find and strike you!" The nagamaki turns into a javelin, which Fuyuhime throws at the beast. It whizzes through the air and pierces through the earth with powerful force. The hurricane may be more destructive and capable of destroying whole areas, if it comes to single-target piercing damage this spear is superior!

An aching shriek tells the trio that the fox was injured from the strike, and through the hole created by the spear the malicious winds spread in, poisoning the beast.

Shizuka desummons the tornado, even though it could've continued raging for another minute or two. With this she has halved the energy in her stone of wood, but it was well worth it.

A small reminder from Fuyuhime to look around tells Shizuka that it may not exactly have been fully worth it: In what was once a lush forest now lies a field of uprooted trees, destroyed bushes and complete destruction of nature. You could almost make a landing track for airplanes in the newly opened spot.

Ah damn, it happened again. Shizuka is once more annoyed at her lack of restraint, she shouldn't have caused so much mayhem!

While Shizuka is worrying the two witches point towards the creature they're hunting, which is limping away at a surprisingly fast speed. The trio quickly follow, leading to a short chase to a new area.

In an open field next to a mountain cave the fox is found, dead and with his body disappearing. However, from its last actions it seems to have fled to that cave there. Could it be that that cave is a nest for these kitsunes? If that is the case then it could lead to major catastrophes in the future! An investigation is needed to prevent further damage.

The trio get closer to this cave, standing only a meter of ten away from the entrance. Even though there is bright moonlight shining into the cave, the inside stays pitch-black on a level through which even Shizuka cannot see. While there is some old, dormant energy inside this earthen structure, the young Campione cannot sense any life forms hiding in here. It seems to be just an old cave.

The group is about to leave, were it not for what is simultaneously happening in Italy. A short summary of what is happening in Europe's boot:

" _Godou, let me reveal my master plan: Today I will take my revenge on all the grinding in video games by turning real life into an RPG! Now, my friend, will you join me?"_

" _Doni, in all my time as a godslayer, this has to be the stupidest thing I've heard. Like hell I will!"_

" _Too bad. Madame Aisha's [Fairy Corridor] has its effect already activated. The portal to another world has opened."_

" _Not if I can help it! I use [Ame no Murakamo]. This authority lets me absorb the energy from one other authority, weakening or negating it. It looks like that portal stays shut, Salvatore Doni!"_

" _You've walked right into my trap, Godou. I counter activate [Curse of Rampage], strengthening all active authorities to beyond full power, forcing them to go out of control!" And suddenly all portals of [Fairy's Corridor] around the world got activated._

Shizuka is aware of the sixth king's idiocy, but she couldn't expect that he is once again the cause of her problems. Without any sign of activation the cave starts to suck everything in, like a miniature black hole.

Before Shizuka can react she already lost her footing, flying into the cave. If only she weren't so arrogant, believing that the hole wouldn't do anything to her… perhaps then she might've held strong, but careless as she was she is completely defeated.

After Shizuka her niece Sakura also lost footing, flying a meter or so behind Shizuka. The last one there, Fuyuhime, manages to resist the gravitational pull by clasping a strong tree root and lowering her center of gravity. However, she realizes that she cannot escape from this power that keeps growing, and decides that it's better to stay with the other two than to wait until she eventually gets sucked in alone. She lets go of her hold, using a bit of [Flight] magic to grab the other two. Together the trio flies into the hole, and everything turns black.

-x-

 _Unknown day, unknown time, unknown location_

When the trio come back to their senses they are floating in a field of darkness, each being two or three meters away from the other two. The darkness is infinite, pure black darkness that stretches in every direction… except the one they were floating to. There a single dot of white light, far in the distance, like a single star in the night sky.

"Shizuka-chan, Fuyuhime-chan, are you two okay?" Sakura worriedly asks about everyone's condition, and finds positives responses from the other two. Comforted by these responses Sakura asks just where they are. Shizuka doesn't have a clue, but Fuyuhime seems to have some clue:

"Oh, can it be…" Spoken with parts of fear and dislike, Fuyuhime starts to explain. "If I had to guess, we're currently trapped in the corridors of Egypt's king, Madame Aisha."

"Madame Aisha?" Shizuka asks in wonder, unfamiliar with that name. "So she's the one to blame for this all?"

"It's… likely, yes." Fuyuhime gives a short explanation about the third devil king: Madame Aisha, titled as the [Mysterious Queen of Caves]. She's not often spotted due to being a recluse with a traveler's heart, meaning that it's rare for people to know where she is and ever rarer for her to be spotted. While there is not too much known about her it is known that she has an authority that can creates portals to different worlds.

"And we're now on our way to such a different world. Any idea what we can face when we arrive?"

Neither of the two witches has an idea. There's not really some person who has entered the caves before and come back out again, so the only information they have are the disturbances found from travel to their world. Considering that the guests they received include magic dinosaurs and foxes, there's no telling what this other world will be.

They arrive at the white dot, which turns out to be a sphere of around 6-7 meters in diameter. The trio is quickly devoured by the light, blinding their vision. Within a second or two the whiteness fades, and what enters their view is completely unexpected:

Stretching before them is a dense tropical rainforest, with large ferns covering the ground and trees soaring into the sky. It's completely different from Okinawa's subtropical climate.

"I don't think that anyone has any idea about our current location?" Yes, they're a long way from home if they landed in the jungle.

"Given by the positions of the stars I can see, I would say that there's two hours left before midnight. Since neither the pole star nor the southern cross is visible while a few other constellations are visible means that we're somewhere around the equator."

"Actually, we're in Northern Sumatra." Sakura points at a large orange monkey she spotted in the tree, calling out its name: "That's a Sumatran orangutan, I think."

The other two have no reason to doubt their friend, and with their location known they can finally go and search for civilization. The success is… less than stellar. Almost an hour later and they're still lost in the jungle. Shizuka even believes that they've passed the same set of trees multiple times, meaning that the trio is completely lost.

Just as Shizuka wants to complain she sees something light up in the distance. The fickle flame of fire, which is a key element of human society. It cannot hurt to go in that direction.

Within a minute of walking they meet two hunters, dressed in garb most certainly not fitting in the modern society: They both wear a simple leather vest with a drab pleated skirt, and their body decorated with some fancy necklaces and headgear.

"Kami telah menemukan mereka!"

"Cepat! Bawa mereka kembali! _{3}_ " Shizuka does not understand what they are saying… yet. As amazing as her omniglot powers are, she doesn't speak new languages on the fly. In general, it takes her half an hour to understand the language, an hour to make some standard communication, and a week or three to master the language.

Even though the words aren't understood, their actions are. It seems that they want to guide Shizuka, almost as if they revere her. Is her godslaying identity figured out this quickly?

With no better clue to civilization the trio follow the two hunters, who keep on talking to one another. It's helping Shizuka understand the language, as well as what these two are talking about. It appears that their boss claimed that an equal appeared in the forest, and these two were send out to find her. It sounds foreboding, as this means that she is likely going to meet another king. But who would be here in Sumatra? Shizuka cannot imagine any of the other kings being here.

After an hour or so the trio finally arrive at a simple village, looking more like some sort of fifteenth century fishing village. It's almost like they travelled back in time for 500 years. Everything is so antique, so old-fashioned, it's hard to believe a place like this still exists in the modern world.

Eventually they reach the center of the village, where they spot two people chatting with each other on the veranda of the most decorated house in the village. The one on the left is a somewhat plump old man, most likely the village elder. However, it's the woman on the right that gives Shizuka goosebumps, and it's not even because Shizuka can sense that that woman is her peer.

No, the worst thing is that abhorrent dress… jacket… piece of clothing of hers! It's lime-green, and purple, and has only a single strap, and pointless openings, double-layered fabrics-Argh! Its ugliness transcends the boundaries of time and space!

It's quite the shame too, because the wearer is quite the beautiful lady: A woman most certainly tall for an Indonesian at 170 cm, with long brown hair and very generous curves. Though she has the body of a late teen her face is cute enough to make her seem a year or two younger, giving her a nice combination of youth and maturity. In fact, looking a bit closer at this other Campione she does resemble Shizuka a bit. It would be quite plausible if the godslayers turn out to be half-sisters or nieces of one another.

"Well met, my kin!" The other godslayer starts to address Shizuka formally, in an almost regal-like tone. "You had me quite surprised when I suddenly sensed your appearance in the forest. It does not happen often that a fellow Lord of Magi appears in my territory."

Shizuka is whispering to Fuyuhime who this godslayer could be. Of the eight kings in the current era she has yet to meet the three oldest and her fellow Japanese lord. Which of these four is this?

Fuyuhime has to bring the shocking news in a clear way: "Shizuka-san… I don't think that we're in the twenty-first century anymore. That portal made us travel back time."

Shizuka is shocked for a second. Time travel? What kind of ridiculous power did they get involved in this time? Shizuka liked modern society, thank you very much! What a mess this is, are they stuck now in the past?

As much as the trio want to find a solution to this time travel they first must deal with the Campione in front of them. Shizuka answers politely back, giving her name, her country of origin, and a somewhat made-up reason for being here: "I am Shizuka, with the family name Kusanagi. These here are my companions Renjou Fuyuhime and Koudzuki Sakura. We're from the country of Japan, but we got in a magical accident and were blow off to this island."

The other godslayer believes it immediately, claiming that it's quite like something that happened in her past. "As for my identity, the people here call me Nyi Roro Kidul or Ratu Laut Selatan, giving me titles like Queen of the Southern seas or Spirit lord of Sumatra. However, Kusanagi Shizuka, as my fellow kin, call me by my birth name of Kadita."

Fuyuhime recognizes that name. Though the lecture on it was rather brief, she did have to learn a bit about Indonesian myth, and that name did appear in one old fairytale:

 _Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Sunda, a beautiful princess named Kadita lived. Even though she was a fantastic woman the king was unhappy with her because she is his only child, and he wanted a son. The king remarries with Dewi Mutiara, and this new wife does grant him a male heir. Jealous of Kadita's beauty Mutiara orders the king to send the daughter away, but the king loves his beloved daughter too much for that._

 _Eventually Dewi Mutiara consults a magician, who curses Kadita's body with ulcers and scabies. Nobody could cure the princess, and to prevent her from becoming a rumor the king had to send her away. Even so, the heart of the princess was pure, and even after figuring out it was her stepmother who caused her disease she kept praying for the queen's health._

 _After many days she reached the southern seas. She jumped into the water as a girl riddled with diseases, but emerged out in perfect condition. What's more, she became the otherworldly beauty with command over the seas, revered as Nyi Roro Kidul._

If this is not a mere fairytale, but the story of someone's ascension as devil king, then that leaves Fuyuhime with a single question:

"If I may ask, Nyi Roro Kidul… who are you really?" There are too many inconsistencies in the story for this to be reality. Fuyuhime cannot believe these contradictions.

Everyone else meanwhile is staring in confusion. How could you say something so impolite in such manner! Only "Kadita", if that's her real name, manages a sly smile, and asks for clarification… "or else you have created some heavy aggression."

"W-Well, you see…" Fuyuhime is intimidated by the queen she insulted, but reassuring gazes from her two friends tell her to explain: "Princess of Sunda, your words do not match your story. Your kingdom only lasted until the late sixteenth century, yet you use terms like Lord of Magi and most importantly Sumatra. The former was invented in the middle of the seventeenth century, while the term Sumatra didn't exist until the nineteenth century. Tell me, why would a Campione act like she lives in sixteenth century while using terms from almost three centuries later?"

Ooh, Shizuka sees now what her friend means. Yes, that is a very unlikely story. If this was the actual Kadita, she would call herself a Rakshasa monarch who rules the isle of Samudra. It's time for this faker to reveal her true colors.

"Hoh? I do not understand what you mean, but are these not the terms used by foreigners? Those Dutchmen who seek to colonizes this ground use these terms for me and my lands." Everyone around Kadita agrees, all claiming that they shouldn't disrespect their lord.

And as much as the trio disbelieve this other king it is not an impossible story. Neither Fuyuhime nor Sakura have proof that she is not actually a 300-year-old Campione.

"Well, I'm doubting that." Shizuka looks up in the night sky, as if she found an answer. "I'm willing to believe that you could exist until the colonization of Indonesia, but I sincerely doubt that you lived long enough to see the launch of ISS."

"Hah!" One of the locals shouts out, calling out that bluff: "Ha! That space station is currently over Europ-" And suddenly he realizes he is totally busted, even Kadita considers that facepalm-worthy.

"Ehm, if I may, would you kindly tell us who you really are? I don't think that locals like him should know what the International Space Station is."

"Kadita" sighs, claiming that the jig is up. "I hoped to keep this act up a little bit longer, but I guess that I cannot change even that."

"Then would you mind telling us who you really are?" If they're not really in the past, then there are only 7 other kings in existence. Out of those there is only one likely possibility for this person to be. "Since we travelled through those portals, would you perhaps be Madame Aisha?"

"No, your thinking is a bit off there, as I am not her." The trio wonder who else it could be if it's not Aisha. There are only two other female kings next to Shizuka and her Eminence Luo Hao is not one to perform such theatrics. "In fact, those portals of Aisha did transfer you through time."

From the insides of her dress this older king pulls out a big red button, and with a single press she causes the earth to shake. Walls and trees disappear into the earth, and are replaced with futuristic technology that would take at least thirty years for mankind to develop. Even the house where the king sits is replaced with a very high-tech transport aircraft, which opens from the back to reveal who can only be described as a luxury jet from a century in the future.

"Kadita" starts boarding the aircraft, as she finally reveals who she is: "As for my true identity, I am the current fourth Campione in the world, and the lord of Japan. My name is Kusanagi Shizuka. My past self, welcome to the future of 2094!"

-x-

"So, you claim to be me." Shizuka has entered the aircraft with her two followers, now on their way back to Japan. It's not like Shizuka has anything better to do, and her future self is the best bet at returning to the past. However, that doesn't mean that she cannot be skeptical.

"If you want, I can proof it. If I remember right, when I was your age, I hid something confidential inside the stuffing of my pillow. Wasn't it that old g-"

"Yes, you're me, so let's not talk about that anymore." Shizuka would rather not have her secret exposed. A pity, the two non-Campione around are admittingly a bit interested in gossip like that. "But I have to say that I am quite surprised that with how my future self looks."

"If you're talking about my clothes, you should know that you've travelled eighty years into the future. I'm sure someone from 1930 would say the same about your fashion trends."

It does make a lot of sense for the trio of the 2010s, though it is not what Shizuka was exactly asking for. She wants a different weight off her chest, or to be more precise talk about future additions to it. She certainly was not expecting her plains to become mountains!

The older king notices her younger self's point of interest too, and almost lets out a chuckle of amusement. "Ah, I see that you're actually interested in my body, or at least the development of it." It's not wrong to say that nature and time have been favoring her… or maybe it's not to be attributed to those factors: "Of all the female godslayers I have ever met not even one is lacking in curvature. My current theory is that when a woman slays a god she not only get powers and abilities like a superheroine, they also get that type of body. Since the men do not automatically get sculpted chests, broad shoulders and washboard abs it's likely that their body upgrade is their lower parts, so to say. What are your opinions on this subject, everyone?"

"My current opinion tells me that your words made me imagine something I would rather forget." The image of Gascoigne naked is one thing, but why the hell did she do the same for Doni? She practically hates that Italian idiot! "But anyway, since this is the future, how are all the other people I know? Where are the future versions of Sakura and Fuyuhime here? How about onii-chan, did he manage to settle down and live a normal life?"

The future king begins to explain where everyone is, starting with those in the same aircraft: "Fuyuhime, we'll meet your future version tomorrow. Sakura is still on the mission I send her to, but I estimate that she will be back in a few days. As for Godou, he's enjoying his days in South America. I think that he has… improved in some ways."

 _Somewhere in Brazil, late morning:_

Inside of a Japanese bedroom… or at least Japan-inspired, the bed and nightstands are very European in origin. A bit of movement in the bed can be seen, heavily implying some form of sexual activity. The sliding door on the side opens, where a woman dressed in what could best be described as medieval knight cloth adjusted to modern fashion.

This woman, of tall build with brown tousled wavy hair, kneels as she enters the room, answering to the godslayer in the bed: "Milord, the cult we've sponsored has successfully managed to resurrect heretic Supay _{4}_. H-However…" The woman starts to waver in her speech, realizing that she is the bringer of bad news. Considering who her lord is, she must be a new addition, the more experienced ones know better how to deal with him. "…After his rebirth… he was slain by the American king, John Pluto Smith, who also wiped out the cult. He may also have incriminating evidence proving our connection to that cult."

In the bed Kusanagi Godou sits up. He's aged a few years, now looking to be in the beginning of his twenties. Next to him are Erica and Mariya, with whom Godou just had sex with. The blonde has aged a bit more than the brunette, looking to be reaching thirty instead of Mariya's 21. He promises his two oldest allies that he'll be back soon, before walking nakedly over to the girl. With charm he speaks to the wavy-haired girl, giving her words of encouragement: "Don't worry about it. It wouldn't do for someone like you to make such an ugly face. Both as a king and as a lover, neither will punish you. But if it's punishment you seek, then let me indulge a bit." Forcefully he gives her a deep kiss, and she quickly accepts and kisses back.

After a long kiss Godou stands up, grabs a bathrobe from a nearby chair and starts walking to the balcony, still closed to keep the lights out. "If my enemy has already been slain…" He mutters to himself, his words growing in strength and volume. "Yes, perhaps I should bring a visit to my old friend. Knowing Smith there's no way he wouldn't be happy to meet, so I'm certain I can get myself some fun. It's going to be a bright day today…"

Speaking those words he opens the blindfolds, before his mood is immediately dampened by downpour outside.

"Well I'll be damned."

 _Back to the aircraft:_

And with "improved" the future king means "gotten worse". It's quite literally the only regret she has in life, her inability to rehabilitate Godou the one smudge on her perfect record.

"As for the rest… I would prefer not to speak too much of the future. The more you know the less will come as a surprise, and the less likely this time loop is going to be stable."

"Stable time loop?"

"Yes, to ensure everyone's future, it is necessary for me to guarantee that one day you will end up in my position. Let's start with how exactly you arrived here:" The adult Shizuka starts explaining, beginning with how Doni caused Madame Aisha's authority to go berserk.

When the trio learned whose fault it was, well… they can't exactly call it surprising, stupid things like that is what Doni does.

"Because of him there are currently four godslayers traveling through time. Normally when a godslayer goes on such a journey the watcher of time, Plutarch, ensures that the Campione gets send to the past in a place that requires only little corrections to keep the flow of time steady. But Plutarch is no god, let alone omnipotent. With the large amount of portals opening at the same time Plutarch was placed for a dilemma: He only has enough power to ensure that one of the portals goes to a fixed destination."

"And since 3 kings in random spots in time is much more dangerous than us trying to make a stable time loop Plutarch chose to fix the location of the other three." Everyone understands what exactly happened, but that does leave the question of how they will return home. Luckily the future king has an answer for that too:

"We cannot ask Madame Aisha to bring you all back, since she died some time ago." The trio from the past are suddenly worried that they cannot return home anymore, before realizing that the adult version of Shizuka means that they did find a way back. Their realization is given more credit by the reveal of how the return trip will be made: "The portals on the other hand can be opened by a few dozen witches at midnight, with a full moon and clear weather. Those circumstances will happen in eight days from now, so that will be the moment you'll be sent back."

With that the biggest worry has been pacified. Now to know a bit more about the future itself:

"Where to start…" The adult king thinks, not wanting to spoil too much of her own future. "Well, I'm currently the fourth devil king. That means that three kings other than Madame Aisha have died. In these ninety years three more kings have been born, of which the oldest has died already, bringing the total of current kings to six."

"Humanity has also learned of the existence of Campione." This sentence shocks especially Fuyuhime, who realizes that the main goal of the History Compilation Committee… has failed. What will that mean for her future, and that of everyone she knows and cares about? "It was a leaking masquerade to begin with, so the inevitable breakdown had to be guided for maximum efficiency."

"In other words, unite the powers of technology and magic for the people." One easily understands oneself, even if one version lived ninety years longer. The younger Shizuka can easily see how to bring the best of both worlds together.

"Quite so, yes. Healthcare has improved to the point that humans live to 109 on average, magic is a fuel source as easily available as coal or oil but as eco-friendly as solar energy and spells like [Terrain Reduction] or [Flight] have almost halved traffic problems. As you can guess, it's very worthwhile to invest some money in this cause. It did make me the richest person on the planet, after all."

That last sentence shocks everyone even more than the worldwide reveal of magic. Kusanagi Shizuka will become the richest person on the planet? It's a shame that the future Shizuka doesn't want to explain about it any further, but the thought that her future net worth is nearing a half a trillion US dollars is astounding!

"There's also some downsides to this development. Kings became the fronts of new, usually extremist ideologies. This resulted in battles breaking out between these different ideologies, killing millions. At the moment the total population of earth has been reduced to 2 billion."

"Wait, just that?" Fuyuhime asks, wondering how it all got so far. "How did humanity go so wrong?"

"It's hard to say that humans don't err. Even now the world is broken in two in what can best be described as the second cold war. It's a better alternative to something as chaotic as actual war. It gives the people something to unite against while allowing to vent their frustrations and angers through non-violent ways, like mock battles or international competitions."

"So this pre-stage of war is working out pretty well for you."

"I can't say I'm not taking an opportunity when it presents itself. What might also interest you is that we've also advanced enough to have colonies on both the moon and mars, who have a population of half a billion combined. As for other things in the future that are important to mention… Japan has officially given me the title of shogun, and further…"

Suddenly everyone attention switches as Sakura lets out a loud yawn. She had only been listening with half an ear for the entire conversation, wrecked with tiredness from all the hunting and time-travel. The yawn makes the other two yawn as well, causing a chuckle from the adult king.

"I did almost forget that it's almost bedtime, especially from your perspective." "Since our carrier is close to its destination let's end our conversation here. It's important that you get enough rest, because it's going to be quite the busy stay for you all."

Shizuka doesn't care anymore, having now been awake for what is probably almost twenty hours. King or not, a good night of sleep is always welcome.

-x-

 _14 May 2094, morning, streets of downtown Neo-Tokyo._

Shizuka went to bed immediately after arriving at her future self's living space, a forty-stories tall building called the Kusanagi Tower. It's a bit of an egoistic name, but Shizuka was too tired to care.

The room she uses as her bedroom is futuristic, though not in ways that she expected. Photochromic glass, ceilings and walls that glow according to the day/night-cycle, voice-controlled thermostat and a wardrobe that can appear from the wall on command. While the technology is as expected of the future the style is surprisingly reminiscent of her own time, being rather basic in warm colors.

That doesn't mean that there were no problems with the technology. Shizuka doesn't consider herself technophobic, she does have more than eighty years of catching up to do: She made accidental movements during her sleep that turned on the light, spend twenty minutes figuring out how to turn on the shower and being unpleasantly surprised by what can best be described as a full-body hair dryer.

After learning to handle her own room she now must learn how to handle all the other futuristic technology. At the moment she's standing in the centrum of Neo-Tokyo with the other three people she knows, in what was once the department of Shibuya. The entire infrastructure has changed, with tons of buildings being taller than ever before, somewhat simplistic but quite colorful. However, a few thigs seem to be missing in Shizuka's opinion, as it's not quite as futuristic as expected. She turns to her future self, asking where the things are she expected:

"It's quite the nice city, but where are the flying cars, the holograms, the robots walking through the streets? It doesn't seem quite as futuristic as expected."

"Just like in all of history, efficiency goes before expectations. Flying cars are a waste of energy compared to normal ones, just like everything that needs to hover constantly. Robots are much costlier when compared to homunculi, and these should explain why external holograms lose every time to AR-technology _{5}_."

Future Shizuka hands out what appears to be three sets of contact lenses, each with one of the trio's name written upon them. Upon opening the box they find out that these are contact lenses, but infused with a combination of nanotechnology and magic. Is this magitek the future of humanity?

Since they're encouraged to put them on the trio of the past place them on their eyes, with a bit of help as none of them have ever had any reason to wear contacts before. A small electric shock makes Shizuka think she did something wrong, but a quick look at the surroundings tells her that it's the opposite:

Suddenly there are all kind of magical and virtual objects around, ranging from banners to invitations to signs t-wait a sec, "Why are there so many advertisements?" It's like the entire world is spammed full of ads! Isn't there at least some adblocker to make those go away?

"The price of the future. Without the investments from other companies producing goods like these is nearly impossible."

So no matter how the future goes, the laws of economy always stay the same. It's nice to know that some things stay the same, even if it is something as annoying as advertisements.

The quartet goes on their way, planning to have some fun with shopping. Those from the past learn that quite a bit has changed: Gone are the dressing rooms of old, now you can use a virtual avatar of yourself to test whether you would fit the clothes or not; The salesmen have been replaced with homunculi, capable of perfectly adapting to the patient; While you can still pay with cash, the simpler option is to have the contact lens in your eye scanned and pay with that. Truly, the technological wonders of the future are marvelous!

The same cannot be said about the fashionable future. As awesome as the engineers have been in the past 80 years, the fashionistas must've been sleeping. Out of all the clothes that Shizuka in a whole hour tried she managed to only find a vermillion swimsuit that's semi-passible. The future is a sad state indeed with such a fall in fashion.

The other three seem to have more fun shopping for the clothes of this era, though Shizuka's unsure how much her other self is truly enjoying this fashion. Not wanting to ruin their fun she leaves the shop, going through other shops in the district. With all the futuristic technology changing the looks of everything the core is still the same: There are food stalls on every corner, with in-between shops for clothing, a hardware shop, a botanist and a boutique, a stationer, a perfumery… There's enough in common with those of her own time. In fact, passing past one shop gives her a real message that time hasn't changed the world much:

"Final Fantasy LII? Even after almost a century they're still adding new entries to that franchise?" Looking around she can find a few more somewhat familiar names. Nintendo seems to be still in business, and even Konami has a few titles on display. It's quite fun, looking around for brands and products that are still sold even in the future.

"Excuse me, madam, can I help you?" Shizuka gets startled as she hears a voice from next to her, probably one of the homunculi working as sales clerk here. Damn it, Shizuka does not want to get caught looking around in the game corner!

A quick turn reveals that there is no homunculus, just a future version of herself who is quite adequate at mimicking voices. "Oh, it's just my future self."

"I think you're supposed to be a bit more relieved than that. Who would know that the greatest secret of my thirteen-year-old self would not be her kingship, but the fact that she secretly likes to play on her DS game console? It seems that the hypothesis that all kings have absurdities in their life is true after all."

"The moniker of king is preferable to being called a gaming otaku. Besides, it's not like I'm addicted to it or something. There are just some RPG's with good stories and challenges that can be called fun. If it's not addicting and keeping me from my ordinary life these games are an interesting secret."

"Except that at your moment in time both grandpa and our 'onii-chan' already know."

They already do? Where did Shizuka go wrong with her secret? It's quite embarrassing that people already know of her guilty pleasure. Luckily the older self manages to convince her that it's not all that bad:

"But don't worry about it. Our family members are the only ones who know, and they're not the type to tattle. On that note, you can put down LII. I've already purchased it, as well as the virtual reality pod that comes along with it. You might be able to find it somewhere in the tower."

The older king hands over a plastic keycard, with the words "Room 1721" written on it. It's pretty clear what the intension of that keycard is.

"I would recommend searching for it in two days. I forgot to plan anything for that evening, so consider that free time." The two kings smile at each other, enjoying this camaraderie. Putting the game back they return to the other two, except that it has turned into a trio:

Next to Fuyuhime and Sakura stands a third woman, heartwarmingly chatting with the other two. She's about as tall as the younger Shizuka, though quite a bit lither. It's as if a strong breeze would be able to blow that body away, yet Shizuka can't deny that males would find some charm in that. From the kings' standpoint only the back is visible, but the brown curly waves are a large hint at whom this person is, as the shortest of the 2010 trio has a very similar hairstyle.

"Fuyuhime! It seems that you've returned." Yes, the identity of this new person is no stranger, as it was announced before that they would meet her today.

The older witch turns around, and manages to give the younger Shizuka a surprise: Over Fuyuhime's right eye is a flowery eyepatch. If that is merely a fashionable accessory it wouldn't be so bad, but traces of scar tissue on both sides of the eyepatch indicate something more gruesome. Not just that, but there are also some scar traces on a few other parts of the body. Between her own time and this future Fuyuhime must've gone through a ton of dangerous battles to end up with her body like that.

The mood just got a bit uncomfortable, as no one of the past really wants to ask the question on their minds. It is the scarred one herself who lighten the mood again, explaining just what happened to her:

"Don't worry about these scars of mine. These are proof of all the battles I've fought, the people I've saved and served. They are both my teachings and my honor." The scarred witch merely gives a small smile, before holding up the bag she's been carrying with her all the time. "Going on bit of a different topic here, but I think that we all managed to buy one thing in common, and I'm planning to use it." She takes a green one-piece swimsuit out of her back, which should be able to cover most of the scars. This piece of clothing is enough of a hint to imply what the group's next activity is.

The younger Fuyuhime also understands what is up next on the agenda. "So how much have the water parks of the future changed?"

"How about we try to find out?" Everyone is quick to take up on the fourth king's idea, starting a few hours of enjoyment that will not easily be forgotten. Yeah, this future isn't so bad after all.

-x-

 _Late afternoon, Kusanagi Tower's English-styled conservatory_

The morning activities were fun, but the time has come for more serious matters. Surrounded by the green of several west-European plant species both Shizukas sit down here to enjoy a cup of tea, alongside Sakura and their respective Fuyuhime. To fit with the season of late spring they are served scented jasmine tea, a typical spring drink. The butler and maid who have served the tea leave and stand next to the door, ready to answer on a whim.

"Well then, my younger self. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I don't think I'm the type to waste lots of time on pointless chit-chat." The younger Shizuka agrees, and asks what is so important to warrant this time. She wouldn't have minded it if the swimming continued for a little longer, especially that holographic dinosaur-themed waterslide was a beautiful marvel of technology.

Fuyuhime on the other hand does have an inkling about what is going to happen: "Considering that it's been 1500 years from our perspective, and there's a total of eight Campione roaming the earth… could it be that he will resurrect, the [King who Manifests at World's end]?"

"[King who Manifests at World's end]?" Shizuka and Sakura ask in wonder, not understanding what their companion means with those words.

"The god who arrives at the world's end, starter of the apocalypse, the one who brings an end to mankind's eras, and most importantly he is the devil king-slaying lord; that is whom the [King who Manifests at World's end] is." Adult Fuyuhime begins on her own to give an explanation about this deity, giving the bad news about him: "And at the end of your upcoming year of 2011, he will resurrect and slay all the Campione in the world. That is the fate of the world."

"How utterly ridiculous." Really, a god fated to kill Shizuka? Like hell she can accept something as stupid as that! "I'm not going to die to some unknown god just because he wants me to! Besides, if I'm still alive in the future as the fourth king, won't at least half of the Campione survive the conflict?"

"Not… exactly." As ideal as that sounds, there is one problem with that: "You being here in the future means that you're fated to beat him, but that end-bringer is also fated to beat you. That means that one of these fates is going to be undone, but it's still uncertain whose it will be."

"So now Shizuka-chan has to fight this bad guy or else the world will be doomed?" Sakura's face is showing clear signs of worry, as if it's all of humanity that might die in the upcoming year.

"Eh, it's not exactly a doomed world." Adult Shizuka nonchalantly knocks that idea off, telling instead that it will be the end of an era. "When he succeeds the fifth era will end, and the sixth era will begin. Humanity's resistance against the gods will have to begin anew."

"Fifth and sixth era?" "Resistance against the gods?" There's quite a few bits the time travelers don't understand yet. Shizuka isn't that knowledgeable in magic lore, and the other two have severely outdated knowledge. The one-eyed knight sees the past selves struggling, and offers to give them a short history class on the magic eras:

"Let's begin with the first era. This was when humanity served the gods faithfully, and in their role as slaves of the divine they lived in simple prosperity. This era ended around 3900 BCE, when one human did the impossible: He managed to slay the goddess Ma _{6}_. Ma, amused by this event, granted part of her power to him and would eventually become the one we know as Pandora." The two younger witches are stunned upon hearing this information. If you could prove this back in 2011 you would've made a revolutionary breakthrough in modern knowledge of magic. To think that that is the origin of the devil kings!

"Gods, enraged at this transgression, descended and tried to smite this punisher, but all were defeated by this godslayer. He would then unite humanity under him instead of the gods, creating the first known metropolis, Uruk, as a sign of human might. The gods could not allow this, so they banded together to create the first prototype of the devil-king slaying king."

"Sorry to interrupt, but would this be the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu?" The younglings are somewhat accustomed to this story, so they don't need a retelling of known myth. The adult Fuyuhime nods, telling that this Gilgamesh and Enkidu are indeed the first Campione and Campione-slayer in existence. Instead of continuing their story she continues to the end of the second era:

"Afterwards more kings were born in the second era. It was a wild age, led by godslaying despots who had little care for humanity. For 1500 years this continued, until the god Indra created an avatar of himself that would slay all these demons in human form. The second [King of the End], his name was Arjuna."

"No way…" If Arjuna is the devil king slaying hero, then doesn't that mean that Shizuka's enemy, that warrior of the sun, originated as a…

"Yes way. Our archenemy Karna did not originate as Marduk, but he was originally a Campione like us!"

Fuyuhime negates this interruption, and simply continues talking. "While Arjuna was successful in his quest, he too died to fulfill his goal. The third era started with new devil kings, these somewhat better than those of the previous era. However, they too became a menace in humanity's eyes, so around 1000 BCE the gods create their third anti-Campione god. That one was a success and managed to end the third era."

"And he also ended the fourth era, and is planning to end the fifth as the current [King who Manifests at World's end]." The older king interrupts with a cheery smile, though it's clear that part of it is a façade for seriousness. "Fuyuhime, Sakura, could you tell me what the true name of this god is?"

"Well, we know that he descended in the fifth century and became the origin for king Arthur, and that his story is intricately tied to the Argo, but that's where our knowledge ends…" Fuyuhime goes back, trying to backtrack through history, but she does not have enough information to give the right answer. Sakura too only draws a blank, as neither can form an answer. The current fourth king sees this, and tells them both to refresh their mind and simplify their thinking:

"Don't try to go for a difficult answer. It' quite simple. If people ask for a god-king, they say Zeus or Odin. For a sun deity, they say Ra or Amaterasu. Then who would people think of as the devil-king slaying hero?"

"E-Ehm, wait!" After a few seconds of thinking it's Sakura who comes with an answer. "Wouldn't that be… Vishnu the preserver?" The answer comes out meekly, but it's the correct one.

"That can't be right." Fuyuhime on the other hand tries to go for something else. It's true that Vishnu had many forms that slew devil kings: Matsya slew Hayagriva, Varaha slew Hiranyaksha, Narasimha slays Hiranyakashipu, Vimana slew Bali and Rama slew Ravana, but this was all before Krishna helped Arjuna slay Karna _{7}_. Since the tenth avatar Kalki has yet to arrive, the just leaves us with Gautama Buddha. Is he the devil king slayer of legend then?"

"Actually, Sakura is correct." The older witch-knight calmly explains why Vishnu is correct. "For the sake of hiding the Campione-slaying hero's identity, Krishna has been made the eighth avatar while he should actually be the seventh. There are also some stories and legends to make this fact seem real, but the truth stays that Karna was slain in 2449 BCE and Ravana in 1068 BCE."

"Then that means that our opponent is Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu." Shizuka can count as well, understanding that if the seventh and eighth switch then the one she's looking for is the legendary Rama. The two of the future nod at this, calling this idea correct.

"This is the god who was created as the undying hero, who will never rest or die until he has slain all devil kings. Bringing a permanent end to him is equal to breaking destiny itself. To beat him, it's no exaggeration that not even all the devil kings in the world would be enough under normal circumstances." The older Fuyuhime seems to be only talking of future doom, but does give some hints on how the invincible lord can be beaten: "But you're a godslayer, a devil king, a Campione. You're probably already making up some plans to obtain victory in this inevitable fight."

It's not wrong what 's said. Shizuka does already have an inkling or two about how to obtain victory. A god that cannot be defeated by Campione, an immortal hero. If she can reverse one, preferable both problematic conditions, then victory will become possible!

Her older self knows what the younger self is thinking about, having had those thoughts before. "Keep the ideas you're thinking about right now. For bypassing Rama's immortality, I would recommend to use one of your peers, the seventh devil king. He is the possessor of Verethragna's [Golden Sword]: A blade that removes the divinity of the gods, thus making them mortal. This might be the only authority amongst your generation of devil kings that can finish that god for good." Considering that blade gets stronger the more the god tries to hide his own identity, it's the most powerful tool to slay Rama with. If several powerful kings can unite alongside a miracle…

A small but wicked smile appears on the younger king's face. Yes, she already has a few plans she wants to set in motion for the future. Her plan is already starting.

-x-

 _15 May 2094, Kusanagi Tower's room 1501_

Yesterday evening was quite peaceful. Dinner was tasty; the evening theatre show, while innovative and fun, was still quite ordinary compared to the shopping; bedtime was early considering she didn't have a good sleep last night. All in all fun but not especially remarkable.

This time Shizuka is getting used to the room's technology, or at least enough that she doesn't make any random kind of movement that suddenly triggers the lights or so. However, just as she thinks she can finally sleep in late she gets rudely awakened by an alarm, startling her out of bed. Looking at the clock she sees that it is exactly half past eight. Yes, it's quite late already, but technically this is a holiday. Can't she at least sleep in a bit?

Apparently not, as a video message appears on the wall in front of her, showing her older self's face that is smirking a bit too much for a so-called "stoic leader". Even though the face is smug and conceited her voice is quite neutral, as the adult Campione calmly tells why Shizuka was awakened so rudely:

" _A pleasant morning, my younger self. Sorry for waking you up this early, but in an hour we'll receive an important guest here and I promised to introduce you. If you could prepare yourself and come to the roof before half past nine it would be greatly appreciated. I've already send some maids to your room with breakfast and the clothes you should wear. They should arrive just after you finish your shower."_

Right right, it's clear. Shizuka gets out of bed and to the bathroom connected to her room, planning to follow the instructions and take a shower. Just as she finished there was some knocking on the door, probably the maids who bring the clothes and breakfast. It's an amazing level of precision her older self has obtained, it's like her every move is already known.

Breakfast is a nice combination of European and Japanese food, as the miso soup tastes surprisingly well with the bacon and eggs. However, it's the clothing she's really impressed by: A bright sleeveless purple dress that falls to her knees with a wide hem at the bottom, as well as a pair of cobalt blue flats with white ribbons on the toes. Draped over the shoulders is plum-colored short cloak and further accessories consist out of lime green earrings and bracelets, in total giving off a rather regal and refined look.

This is the first moment ever since she started time-travelling that she found an actual good set of clothes. What's more, it seems like this was designed to ensure that movement isn't inhibited, making this both functional and pretty. If there's anything that Shizuka wants to take back home with her it's this set of clothes!

With her mood lightened Shizuka goes to meet with her older self, who is waiting alone on the roof of the tower in equally elaborate clothes. The weather is a bit windy, but overall quite pleasant for mid-May. The duo of kings greet each other, as the younger version asks about this important guest they're expecting.

"I'm expecting to see one of my younger peers today." In other words, a fellow godslayer. "She was quite giddy when I told her that my younger self travelled into the future to this date, and she would love to meet you and see how I was in the past."

"I can't help but wonder: to think that you're quite friendly with this Campione." As far as the kings go that Shizuka knows, relations with them are not… bad, so to say. Gascoigne is a slightly grudgingly partnership, Smith can be considered as a good ally and Doni… well… let's keep it at that Shizuka doesn't want to kill him on sight… yet. However, none of them can be truly called friends, and tensions will escalate easily.

"It's because she's a nice girl in general. If I had to give a reason for why any king can get along with her, I would say that she believes from the bottom of her heart that Campiones should unite together against the gods and lead humanity for the sake of righteousness."

"Ah, right. She's basically a naïve girl who believes in the best of humans." That sounds better than most of the other kings Shizuka knows. No wonder that her older self gets along with such a person.

"No, what you're describing is Madame Aisha. This king is a lot worse than her. She may seem quite normal on the surface, but her actual personality is of a Christian zealot who wants to slay all these "false" gods that do not align with her faith. She just believes that her fellow Campione share the same divine mission."

Shizuka takes back what she said. This girl is simply an insane moron. "Then for what reason are you still friends with someone like her? She doesn't exactly sound like someone we would want to hang out with."

"That's something we agree on. Under normal circumstance I wouldn't be friends with the insane version of Joan of Arc." With a small chuckle the older king averts her gaze from her younger self, temporarily losing herself in thought. "However, for the sake of keeping order in the world she turns out to be quite the useful piece. That, and she looks up to us ever since she learned that I obliterated the devil itself in combat, meaning that that girl is willing to go along with most of my plans."

Wait, what was that part about the devil? Shizuka does not have time to ask about it as a helicopter starts to land on the helipad in front of them, of the same model that was used to transport Shizuka and her friends to the tower.

When the doors of the open Shizuka finds out that she has to correct herself a bit: To call this Campione they are meeting a girl is not quite right, especially considering her size. That king is basically a giant, standing only slightly under two meters tall! While you would expect someone of that height to be quite gangly the "female Campione body rule" kicks in here as well, making this another addition to the list of full-figured kings.

With her long light-green hair in ponytail and skintight silvery-white clothes she looks like she came straight out of the cover of a sports magazine. The only part that is not quite as fitting is the huge, almost childish smile on her face, making her look like either a huge optimist or someone not quite right in their head. Considering she slew a god it's most likely the latter.

This king walks over to the young Shizuka, bending over a little to examine her closely. "Then you must be my best friend's past self, the young Kusanagi Shizuka. You know, when your older self showed me your picture I expected you to be somewhat shorter and kid-like. How tall are you?"

Shizuka cannot deny that her face makes her look younger than she really is, though it's a bit hindered by her length. "The last time I checked I stood at 160 cm. If I read your face correctly you were expecting something more in the direction of a head shorter, weren't you." Shizuka's slightly taller than the average Japanese girl, but when your entire family stands more than half a head taller than average it's to be expected some of those genes carried over.

"Does it matter? You're still cute anyways!" Shizuka gets a very uncomfortable hug from the French king. Ignoring the fact that Japanese in general dislike such direct contact, the height difference of 34 cm ensures that Shizuka finds her head encased in two oversized lumps of meat, which is not quite as comfortable as mass media wants you to believe.

When Shizuka is finally released the European Campione tells who she is: "My name is Louise Delorme du Lorraine, the fifth devil king and ruler of France and southern Europe. Of course, you can call me Louise. Ah, to think that I get to meet you, still of youthful vigor. When you slew that false goddess you too decided to walk on the path of justice and slay all those who make false claims to the single true position of godhood. Yes, one such as you immediately knew that all those who are evil and of wrong cause need to be exterminated like the filth they are!" Louise continues to ramble on about destiny, justness and faith, while the two Shizuka look at each other with a very tired expression. Their thoughts can be read on their faces:

" _I told you she was insane. I recommend that we do not talk anymore about faith or similar things in her presence."_

" _I knew she was insane, but not this much! Please do something about it!"_

"Louise, my friend, did you forget why I called you here? There is something important that needs to be done."

Louise stops talking when she hears her friend talk, and agrees with that. "Yes, let us start that immediately. When I got the emergency call from you I knew that we would strengthen our bonds even further!"

The oldest king claps in her hands, and a bunch of servants walk out, one of them carrying a tray with three small transparent flasks. Inside of these flasks is a liquid that looks a bit like mercury. The other two kings take a flask each, and gesture for the youngest king to do the same. The servants start chanting, and a massive magic circle appears on the roof they're standing on.

"When you drink this you'll be instantly teleported to the location of interest. I do feel that it's necessary to warn you that the taste is a bit… strong." With those words said the oldest king amongst the three empties the flask in a single gulp. Her face contorts to show some anguish, before disappearing right before Shizuka's eyes. Louise does the same, though for her the taste is so bad that it makes her fall on a knee before disappearing.

Well, here goes nothing. Shizuka too drinks her portion, and her first impression is that it tastes incredibly bad. Even a natural kitchen disaster would have a hard time creating something equally terrible. But that is not the worst part, as an exceptional sensation of scorching heat spreads from the stomach into the throat and intestines.

It may not be as bad as she felt when dealing the finishing blow to Nu Wa, but this certainly enters the top three. Shizuka collapses to her knees, almost wanting to throw up this abominable drink. When the effects of the drink disappear she can hear loud cheering, as if she were in a gigantic arena.

Looking around her she finds out she really is in a gigantic arena. Thousands of people are watching her and the two other kings stand on sandy floor with a diameter of around 100 meters, as if they were transported back to the past and straight in the Roman Coliseum.

There is only one question left to ask, so why not ask it to her older self: "And what exactly are we doing here?"

"Nothing much. You're going to fight Louise." The words are spoken as if it is but a mere triviality, but they do shock the youngest king.

"Could you repeat that, because I believe you told me to fight your friend here."

"Yes, we're going to have a friendly bout with one another." Louise takes Shizuka's attention, but even though she is about to fight her friendly smile does not leave her face. "When your older self told me that you needed some extra experience before fighting the evil gods in the worlds, I was glad to help."

Shizuka turns to her older self, but she already fled the scene to a nearby balcony. Four holographic screens pop up in the corners of the arena, each one showing a close-up of future Shizuka's face. That king begins to talk, holding a speech for the audience:

"Welcome everyone to the Kusanagi stadium, all of you who travelled from wide and far to get here! It's the second Saturday of May, meaning that it is time for the annual sports finale festival!" The crowd cheers loudly, indicating that this is apparently something important for these future people. "Baseball, football, tennis, sumo, basketball, kendo and judo. Today there are finals to decide who are the greatest sportsmen in the entirety of Neo-Japan! However, before all that we have a special one-of-a-kind exhibition match between two Campione!"

In other words, Shizuka is just bait, something new to increase the popularity ratings. Since when did the prestigious act of godslaying degrade to ordinary entertainment for the masses?

Louise doesn't seem to mind, and in fact wishes her opponent a good and fair match. She promises that she will handicap herself a bit as she knows what the authorities of the younger version of her friend are, so Louise will not use anything more than her first three authorities, of which she will use one at sub-optimal power. It's not exactly reassuring for Shizuka.

"In one corner is France's Campione: The tall and athletic strongwoman, protector of the faith and guardian of the righteous, who swarms the enemy before striking their fatal flaws: The fifth godslayer, Louise Delorme du Lorraine!" Louise claps in her hands, manipulating the crowd to cheer for her and hope for her victory. She excites the crowds, running half a lap around the arena to eventually ending up on the other side, around seventy meters apart from her opponent but with the larger part of the audience on her side now. It reminds Shizuka a bit too much of certain other sports that this might as well be called the World Godslaying Entertainment.

"As there is no one on earth good enough to challenge her, one king has travelled through time to be here just for the sake of this match. An up-and-coming king who has overthrown the odds many times and is destined for greatness, It is none other than my younger self: Kusanagi Shizuka, version 2011!"

"Of course, my dearest guests, as fights between kings can get dangerous we've done everything to guarantee your safety." As those words are spoken a giant transparent dome covers the sandy floor, forming a barrier between the guests and the fighters. "This barrier is infused with my own power, and is capable of protecting against even the strongest of their blows. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Now, let the battle… begin!"

A loud gong indicates the start of the battle, and Louise doesn't waste any time with summoning her first authority:

"Here I speak as the victor of Rome: Brethren who share my cause, stand steadfast and join me! Fight so that our enemies will never conquer that which we hold dear, and that the immoral empire may last until the end of time!" Louise pumps her left fist into the air, causing a blood-red torch to appear in that hand. The pose she makes while holding the torch makes Shizuka think about the statue of liberty, as Louise too has become a symbol of her ideals. "As the commander of the first cohort, I order you: Fight!"

The air in front of Louise shimmers, and within the blink of an eye an army of sentient armors has been summoned. It's around 500 sets of Roman-styled armor armed with pila, gladii and spathae _{8}_. The suits are floating in the air, as if this army consists of invisible legionnaires.

The cohort moves towards Shizuka, and with still fifty meters to go they perform their combination attack: Each of them takes their pilum and throws it at the enemy, almost blotting out the sun if you were to look from Shizuka's location.

It's an impressive attack, and even though the of summoning half a thousand soldiers from thin air is impossible for human mages to perform, Shizuka does not exactly fear this attack. It's strong, yes, but not exactly authority-level. If she were to face one of these soldiers she could probably win even when she was still an ordinary kid. Is this the authority performing at suboptimal ability?

Shizuka does not want to waste a stone on those spears, but if she does nothing then the attack might be dangerous. As the heavenly halberd has no battle potential, that leaves only one weapon to counter with: Doni's gift.

Shizuka summons the oversized guitar in, slamming the lower end against the ground. In Shizuka's opinion the biggest problem is that this oversized guitar is useless unless she uses that… transformation. Thinking about it makes Shizuka groan, but using it is necessary. Let's hope the people of the future consider it the newest fashion trend; considering their low standards of beauty it wouldn't be surprising.

Stringing the second snare twice followed by sliding the nut upwards is enough for the transformation to occur. Just in time, as the spears are almost slamming down upon her. Effortlessly Shizuka swings the guitar upwards, with enough power to knock away half of the spears aimed for her specific location. A second sideways swing takes care of the rest, leaving the young king standing in a battlefield of pila.

"It appears to be that our youngest king is a trendsetter! What an outfit that is, combining draconic scaling with powerful grace." The audience seems to eat it up, as Shizuka gets quite the support from the audience in her new form. "Don't forget, after the battle that outfit will be available at all Giku branches for only 32.99 ordia _{9}_!"

Wait, did her older self set up this fight just so she could make a profit out of it? Ugh, when she grows up will Shizuka also perform such despicable moves?

There's no more time to lament about her future, as her present is catching up: The army has approached her location, forcing the start of the melee fight.

The army is as protected as one of those Roman battle formations, but Shizuka's weapon is mighty in and of itself: With a single swing three of those warriors turn to dust, her attack unable to be deflected by these automatons. Doni may not have given a manual for the intricate functions of this weapon but it's easy to understand that this weapon makes for a decent bludgeon.

5 swings later, and she has forced to push a group of fifty back. Another five swings and the soldiers scattered in multiple directions. At the sixteenth swing Shizuka realizes that she is surrounded by the enemy.

This is not how Shizuka wants the battle to go. Among all eight kings of her time, she is after Aisha the second-worst physical fighter in the group. Battles are preferably with subordinates or divine beasts at her command, weapons that hurt the enemy while simultaneously protecting the Campione from harm. If this battle were to continue then the army would probably be destroyed, yes, but at what cost? Shizuka would be ragged, tired from fighting in a style unorthodox to her. No, a different battle strategy is needed, something that shifts the tide of battle.

Shizuka summons the stone of wood, which is still missing a day's worth of magic energy. It may be the weakest of all stones she has available, but it should be useful to get rid of these annoying Roman suits and launching a counterattack. "O serpent of nature, smite those who oppose the great king! May their remains be scattered in the winds!"

[Wood] starts to glow in an azure color, and a similar-colored oriental-dragon-shaped blast of energy comes out. The stream of javelins doesn't even compare to this dragon, with a body diameter of seven meters and almost forty meters long. it slithers over the battlefield like a snake at amazing speeds, having enough sentience to pick the path that destroys the largest amount of sentient armors.

After destroying almost two-thirds of Louise's army it finally attacks the commander itself. However, she doesn't seem worried as she uses spell words for another authority:

"By my proof as the divine chosen one, I call upon the usurped powers of the huntress!" Scripture meant for calling upon her first power, what she obtained upon becoming a Campione. "O fake gods, all who hear this verse of mine, mourn and lament at your own helplessness!"

In Louise's right hand a hunting knife appears, a simple tool for skinning animals and preparing food. But the power it gives off is not that of a mere weapon, as the next verse transforms it into a terrifying weapon:

"Serpent of earth and evil, accept your destiny! Be hunted and slain for your own wickedness!" The knife grows quickly in size, turning into a sword as tall as the king wielding it, with a width wide enough to function as a makeshift shield. Though in fact, calling this bizarre design a sword is absurd. It's massive; too thick, too heavy, too big and far too rough to be called a sword. Indeed, that thing is more like a heap of raw iron with a handle attached to it.

Despite its massive size and weight Louise is still able to lift it in the air with a single hand, holding it ready for an overhead slash. The blast of energy closes in rapidly, until it's only a meter away from consuming Louise's body.

Louise swings the sword downwards, right through the middle of the dragon blast. Even though the sword should not reach further than two meters the entire forty meters of dragon is cut in two, causing the two halves to fall to the sides like it were some sloppily-cut fish and disappear. Shizuka's attack wasn't even being able to touch its prey, leaving Shizuka to wonder just what the hell that weapon is.

It cut through a blast of energy that would be enough to swallow and obliterate a row of houses, and caused the blast to dissipate before it could do any damage. The only thing her stone was successful at was destroying a large part of her opponent's army, even though there are still fifty sets left.

"My friend, I can see your confusion about my authority." Louise seems as serene as ever, eerily looking through Shizuka. "Here, let me tell you about the power granted upon me by slaying the false goddess Arduinna _{10}_. This blade of mine is the ultimate hunting tool of ever-changing forms, easily capable of slaying even the most powerful of foes. Yes, in the right form even a single strike would be enough to obtain victory over my opponent."

That's basically the sister sword to Doni's [Rippling Arm of Silver]! To think that not even time will prevent Shizuka from meeting with that absurd blade!

"King of the east, remember your mortality. I hereby relieve you of your duties, Requiescat in pace!" Those last three words mean rest in peace, and it doesn't take a genius to understand what that means. The gigantic sword turns into a handful of throwing knives, each coated in a sickly purple color. Poison, likely specifically made to kill the very kings themselves.

With a single flick of the hand she throws the knives, enhanced with some form of martial arts that makes these knifes fly at the speed of bullets. It's only Shizuka's beast-like reflexes that keep her from being hit. What's more, even though Louise has thrown several barrages her hand doesn't seem to empty anytime soon. She can easily throw twenty knives a second, a logic not understandable by normality.

The battle has turned into one of those bullet-storm games, with the remaining warriors trying to block off Shizuka's movement so one of these knives can leave a hit. Shizuka tries to close in, but doing so increases the knife density and thus the likelihood she'll get hit by one of these murderous blades.

A new tactic is needed: Something is needed that is swift enough to dodge that weapon authority of hers yet still be fine if Louise gets a hit in. Agility and recovery, a few months ago she used something similar that will work perfectly again:

"Oh fire, descend from the heavens! Guardian of kings, ruler of birds! Your name is Feng Huang!" That phoenix she summoned during her fight with divine ancestor Guinevere is not the most powerful form of her fire, but it is the most agile a sustainable form she can think of. It's perfect to continue the fight and force the enemy into making mistakes. "Protector of the south, wielder of the vermillion flames, your name is Suzaku! Immortal bird who rises from his ashes, the absolute symbol of renewal! Your name is Phoenix!"

The ground in front of Shizuka grows black and starts to burn, and from it the fake phoenix is born once more. It lets out a shrill screech, and flies up in the air to start launching barrages of fire on this king and her minions.

The audience however falls silent, as quite the number of them cringe at this choice of Shizuka. The young king doesn't understand why they do so, until Louise uses her third authority:

"Divine beast, at last you went to seek out the company of creatures, who feed on grass and visit the watering ranges. But seeing you, they fled." Scripture from the most ancient poem on earth has been turned into a powerful authority! "You that loved to range the hills are now unable to follow; In the mind of the wild beast there is beginning a new understanding; Bewilder, turn and find solace in my company!"

The firebird stops with his attacks, and looks unsure of what to do. Shizuka notes in horror that the bond between herself and the bird disappeared, and she cannot unsummon this beast. She can't even unsummon her stone of fire! The phoenix descends in front of Louise and bows down, accepting the French king as its new master. With aggressive eyes it turns to Shizuka, who now has to deal with a king using an all-hunting weapon, a giant flaming bird and an regiment of animated suits of armor, with only three stones left.

This is not going to be fun.

-x-

{1} Yako Chikyu: Kitsune have two classifications, Zenko (benevolent) and Yako (malicious). There are thirteen different species of kitsune, of which the Chikyu species is earth-based and can burrow in mud or sand to heal itself or power itself up, as well as performing some earthbending.

{2} Jaaku na Gunsen: Meaning "War Fan of Wickedness", unlike with the introduction of Chishuuha I explained it's general abilities in this chapter, meaning that there's not much to add.

{3} Kami telah menemukan mereka & Cepat! Bawa mereka kembali!: The former means "We have found them!" and the latter is "Quickly, bring them back!" …I think. I'm not fluent in the Indonesian language.

{4} Supay: Incan god of death and ruler of the underworld. While associated with the devil, he's also the one to invoke for successful mining adventures.

{5} AR-technology: Stands for augmented reality, and is when computer-generated input is added to the existing physical environment. Differs from virtual reality that completely replaces the real world with a virtual one.

{6} Ma: An old Anatolian goddess associated with the earth, and one of the oldest-known deities who fits the earth-mother archetype.

{7} All those names of Vishnu's avatars: The names are from the first, third, fourth, fifth and seventh avatars respectively, along with the devil king belonging as the enemy.

{8} Pila, gladii and spathae: The pilum is a Roman heavy javelin meant to be thrown and pierce shields, the gladii is the standard Roman short sword and the spathe is the late-Roman longsword.

{9} Ordia: It's just a made-up currency. It's one of the three multinational coins in the future, the other two being the chas and the euro.

{10} Arduinna: French goddess of the Ardennes region, represented as the huntress riding a boar. In later times she was associated with the Roman goddess Diana.

-x-

Right, I guess this is a pretty controversial chapter, so let's try to clean up the mess I made by explaining it all:

First, the time-travel. I think that I've explained this one good enough in story, but there's just one point I want to note: Plutarch is not a god, let alone omnipotent. Since it's mentioned in-story that he's the force preventing Aisha from travelling to the future my theory of multiple time-travel is still plausible.

Secondly, Shizuka's height. She has a brother who is 180 cm at his sixteenth birthday, of course she's going to be taller than average. Furthermore, in the LN she measures only an inch or so shorter than Erica, who has a confirmed height of 164 cm. For those of you who are saying that a thirteen year old is much shorter… you've been watching too much television, where teens are shorter than normal. The average female Japanese 13-year old only stands 2 inches shorter than a female Japanese adult.

Thirdly, some promise I seemed to make in the chapter 11. Something about meeting a Kusanagi Shizuka with multiple authorities. Well, are you saying that I lied? I never said something about present-day Kusanagi Shizuka owning multiple authorities. Though to be fair, since you probably are getting tired of these jokes, let me put something down in a very simple matter: In the next arc Kusanagi Shizuka will gain her second authority. She will also find out Godou's identity as a devil king. There are no tricks involved this time, it's exactly as you imagine. Really, I mean it.

Fourthly, the long duration of upload. Sorry, but I was busy with university work and a very heavy semester of what are probably the three hardest courses I've had or will ever have. I hope that I can return to my old schedule from now on.

Fifthly, about Shizuka playing video games like RPG's? Yeah, that one's canon. If I may quote from volume 6: "Just like a warrior in a RPG can consume MP to use a finishing move? Godou recalled the games that Shizuka played and tried to imagine."

Lastly, about the newest king. Louise is a creation for which I should give one of the fans extra credit for, since she is for the most part created by him around a year ago. Give an applause for Battleking and his imagination! Of course, to keep the content of this chapter a secret I had to insinuate a few things, like that the time-travelling would bring Shizuka to around the year 1400 and stuff.

Anyway, about Louise: She's the answer to the question "Is it possible to make a religious Campione?" As for her theme, it's [Crusading Knight Templar]. Named after the famous order, her authorities allow her to raise an army on faith, baptizing evil to her cause, and exorcising all that is not angelic. As the authorities are costly in use, she's required to raid her surroundings to sustain her own power and mana. The three authorities used are listed below:

[Hunter or Hunted]:

The authority obtained when Louise slew her first god, the Gaelic huntress Arduinna.

Using this authority summons a hunting knife in her right hand, that by its nature is super effective against beasts of the forest. A single swing of the knife would be enough to cleave something like Godou's [Boar] in two, though it is barely better than a normal knife against something other than beasts of the forest.

The weapon can transform on Louise's command into a large variety of hunting weapons, each with different properties. Anti-dragon, anti-human, anti-bird, anti-Campione; If it's sentient and not of angelic nature, the hunting weapon can deal massive damage against it.

[War Goddess Blessing]:

A year or so after Louise became a king she travelled to Rome to obtain permission from the pope to create a new crusade to free the middle-east from all those infidels living there. However, the Roman goddess of war and protector of Rome was less than pleased with these Catholics living there and went against Louise. Louise won, and thus gained this authority.

She raises her left arm to summon a torch with blood-red flames in it. This allows her to summon a cohort of living armor, consisting of 480 sets of roman battle armor with spears, shields, swords, sandals and plumed helmets. While the warriors are only as dangerous as a low-level magus on their own, when there is someone of the same fate as Louise nearby they will instead equip the armor, boosting even ordinary people to the level of great knights.

When Louise drops the torch, stops raising her left hand or moves away from the enemy the authority is immediately unsummoned and cannot be summoned again until she revisits a church and listens to a full sermon.

[Bringer of Civilization]:

A year or four after getting her second authority Louise has been happily slaughtering innocent infidels in the middle east, much to the dismay of the goddess Shamat. Upon learning that that goddess is quite literally the origin of the "whore of Babylon" and the first well-documented prostitute a battle was inevitable between zealot and whore, which Louise won.

This authority lets her charm and tame divine beasts, forcing them to fight for Louise's side as she can command their actions. This even works on divine beasts who serve others, making them switch allegiance.

When this authority is activated the original owner of the divine beast cannot unsummon his former subject, but the prana cost of keeping the beast materialized in the world switches to Louise.

Louise must actively single out each divine beast she tames, so this authority is not very effective against the likes of locust swarms or legions of hungry wolves. Campione or gods who transform themselves into divine beasts, like Voban's werewolf form, are unaffected by this authority.

…

And those are the three known authorities of Louise. I'll end the chapter with this, and until next time!


	15. Crack between the Years

On the podium, a flat platform on the first tier of the arena, the adult Kusanagi Shizuka took a seat to watch the fight between Louise and her younger self. It's no wonder she chose this place, as from here you have the best overview of the battle. There are four seats in total on this section, and each is in use: Other than the fourth king there are her own follower Fuyuhime and the two companions of her past self. Together they watch the fight, though a few questions spring in mind of the younger witches there:

"Why are you doing this again?" As awe-inspiring as this battle is, having just witnessed the massive turnabout of Louise by stealing that phoenix, there must be some point in this all. This Shizuka of the future may be a bit money-obsessed, but to sell out herself and a friend for mere promotion is something that goes too far even for this devil king.

"The reason is similar for both: these two are sorely in need of training." The adult king minces no words, and simply points out the problem. "My past self is a devil king indeed, with quite a few accomplishments behind her name, but out of the eight of her timeline I consider her the worst by a long shot. If I had to point out her major weakness it's that she doesn't take her kingship seriously, seeing it more as an interesting toy to sometimes use and play with. It reflects in her authority, allowing her to be versatile but unable to last for long durations."

Kusanagi Shizuka, at least the younger version, is still incomplete as a devil king. Just like Kusanagi Godou's incompleteness showed by his disability to call upon his powers unless he's in an emergency, so too does his younger sister's incompleteness show by her only able to use her powers as a king five times a week. Where Godou already improved immensely and can be considered to have outgrown most of his weaknesses, Shizuka is not there yet. This battle is the first step on the path to improvement.

"As I was in 2011, my abilities were meant to be unleashed in a burst: strong enough to quickly overpower the enemy, but after ten to fifteen minutes of full use I would run dry. It's useful against gods who fight by maintaining a constant power output, but someone who can dish out just as much damage as [Philosopher's Stones] for a longer period would have me beat. Louise has the same fighting style as me, but her 25 years of experience as a king and multiple authorities allow her to keep the power up for far longer."

"I see." That makes sense. Force someone out of their comfort zone to increase it. It's a valid tactic that has been used several times in history for similar purposes. The younger duo understands what the future king wants to do. However, the actual plans behind Shizuka's training is two-fold:

"Other than that, I also had a bad habit of relying on others to get things done. I would summon mighty beasts to my side, or empower followers like you. If I had to attack myself I would always try to do so from a distance, using a manner of ranged tricks to attack. If I got caught in close combat without a plan I would be at a major disadvantage, as seen in my first battle with Doni."

"And Louise-chan has shown a counter to both of Shizuka-chan's techniques." The observation is correctly noted by Sakura, who is getting a bit worried about her friend and niece. There are two devil kings fighting down there, and she is unable to help her friend fighting there. It pains her quite a bit.

Now that it is clear what the reason for Shizuka fighting is, the question shifts to why the opposition is fighting: "Then how about Louise? You said that this is training for her too." Fuyuhime asks about the second warrior, and it's her future self who gives the answer:

"Louise is a lot like Shizuka was in the past, though she has had more time to overcome her weaknesses. However, she is in general used to fighting as the underdog, and this is I believe the first time she's standing in a superior position. I guess you could say that it's like a Trueno racer that normally goes against an FD3S and the like suddenly forced in a match against a Cappuccino _{1}_."

This simile caused a rather unique situation. For once the almost almighty-looking Campione looks perplexed, bewildered even. "I… what… I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"That's okay. The important part is that the one who needs to understand comprehends this, and looking at her face I would say that was a success."

The younger Fuyuhime cheeks blush red, and she hangs her head in shame. "I can't believe I understood that. What the hell is wrong with me to be so affected by these bad influences?!" Still frustrated about her knowledge Fuyuhime tries her best to shrink herself, even if the only person knowing what she means is herself.

It is Sakura who brings everyone back on track. Something seems to be happening on the battlefield, and those viewing the fight should not be missing it.

Though it's not because the battle is such an even match between two superpowered people. No, this seems more like a punishment, with every move on Shizuka's part countered.

That which Shizuka can summon is baptized to serve the enemy, and whatever isn't is cut in two by that magic weapon of Louise. Worst of all, while Shizuka cannot use any minions Louise has no problem with unleashing her army on the godslayer of the past.

Ugh, what options are left? Think think think! What can counter this enemy? What can still be done?

Shizuka is lost in her own thoughts for a second or two, and Louise happily takes that opportunity to launch a dangerous attack: A large stream of fire from the stolen phoenix comes from behind Shizuka, while Louise throws daggers infused with poison fatal even to kings from the front. The sides are cut off by most of the remaining armors, who plan to strike Shizuka with their weapons. An omnidirectional attack meant to bring great harm, dodging is no easy feat!

Shizuka did not become a king through superior skills and athletics like that Italian idiot, so she needs to use her power to dodge. With [Earth] she summons a defensive stone cage around her, blocking every attack thrown at her.

This barrier is nice and all, but defense alone is a bad strategy. Shizuka throws out her magic power to fully release the power of earth, sending out a shockwave all around her to make spear-shaped rods of stone fly in every direction.

It's a desperate attack, shot without aim and done as a last hope. Not even a third of the fragments goes in the direction of an enemy, and those that do are dodged by both king and bird. The only upside is that almost all the remaining magic soldiers have been wiped out by this attack.

One unharmed enemy godslayer, one unharmed phoenix and a dozen or so animated armors. To oppose and beat that Shizuka only has two stones left, [Metal] and [Water]. The odds are incredibly against the younger king, and her feelings are palpable by the entire audience:

Those watching this fight are murmuring, wondering why the young Shizuka is performing so badly. Some are even booing at the young king, or simply shouting Louise's name. Everyone in the arena is on the side of Louise. That in combination with the flow of battle gives Shizuka only a single feeling:

Despair.

There is no other word to describe her feelings, as she is at an absolute low point in her mental career. Everything fails. No matter who or what she summons, Louise is a natural counter to it. No allies, no subordinates, no friends, no minions, nobody and nothing is on her side.

For the first time in her entire life, Shizuka is alone.

True, Shizuka may have done stuff herself before. She fought against Nu Wa completely alone, for example. However, she was always able to use others to gain advantages, like setting a dragon and turtle to fight each other. But this here, this enemy? Louise is too idiotic to be swayed by words, and too strong to be defeated by creatures. There is nothing to use, nobody to influence. The army has deserted, the treasury is almost empty, not a single tactic is left. If this were a real battle, this would be the end of Kusanagi Shizuka the devil king.

This battle is lost. What can she do now?

…

"Hah…" What can she do? "Hahaha…" It really is stupid now that Shizuka thinks about it. "Hahahahahahahaha!" Shizuka starts to throw her head back and laugh, like an insane maniac. The audience seems to back off a little from the lunatic, and even Louise flinches, accidentally taking a step back. This causes the few remaining suits of armor to disappear, though the dozen or so that were left didn't have much of an impact left anyway.

What can she do? It's not the word "do" that should be stressed, it's the "she" that needs to be accentuated. She! Herself! If you've got nobody around you, then you need to rely on yourself! In the multiple months of her kingship, it is now that she first thinks of it? Maybe that description of devil kings is right, all devil kings are huge morons!

Enlightenment has been reached. Shizuka's mind is clear. To create the path of victory, it's once again possible!

"O metal, descend from the heavens!" One of the two remaining stones left, alongside [Water]. The black stone appears next to Shizuka, brimming with power ready to be used. This stone holds power over many things: Steel, ice, glass and gems; All potentially useful, but what is important for Shizuka is its control over movement. Something like the black prince used, but without unnecessary lightning effects.

"Fear the one with speed of lightning. One makes a hundred steps in a single moment, a hundred thoughts in a single blink. Faced with swiftness beyond measure, all of you stand still before me!"

Acceleration and slowing down. Shizuka's body accelerates, and the rest all slows down. From Shizuka's perspective, it's almost as if time has stopped. Only some miniscule movements from Louise and the phoenix indicate that she did not stop time.

Shizuka lifts the battle guitar in her hand with only a single hand. For some reason the weapon seems light, even disregarding the effects her armoresque clothing has. It's like she's lifting a pebble or something of equal weight. It's so light that when thrown in the air it easily flies a meter of ten in the air, even though Shizuka only intended to throw it half a meter.

In a slight panic Shizuka jumps after the guitar, and find that the instrument isn't the only thing that has become super light: She easily jumped the ten meters into the air, and landing from that height does not give any trouble.

Super speed and a light body… that might be even better than what she originally wanted!

She runs at the phoenix, planning to use [Metal] to destroy her own [Fire]. She runs forwards, until she's is right under the phoenix. The beast has noticed that its former master is underneath, and fireballs are generated in response. But it's too slow. Generating that fire goes way too slow from Shizuka's perspective.

A single jump, aimed towards this oversized bird. Shizuka puts the guitar in front of her, its head aimed like a speartip at the enemy. The bird has no time to react, and suffers a direct hit.

The pressure on the bird's chest can be determined with simple physics: Pressure is attacking mass times the impact velocity, divided by the duration and area of impact multiplied. While the area of the attack is rather big, and Shizuka doesn't really weigh that much, her current speed is so high and time of impact so low that an enormous amount of pressure is applied the body of the bird. It is enough to pierce straight through the enemy, causing the bird to fall to the ground with a final shriek. It desolves into fiery particles, and Louise's connection with the beast is finally severed.

1 down, and 1 more to go. Shizuka sprints towards Louise, planning to do the same thing she did to that bird.

"Godspeed, huh?" Louise looks a bit worried, though the smile still isn't from her face. In fact, it changed into a goofy, almost childish grin. "Not a bad tactic, but I'm afraid that it's not really effective against the likes of me!" The weapon in Louise's hand shifts, turning from a set of throwing daggers into a jagged sword used to skin human flesh.

Shizuka sees this change, but does not give it much mind. The weapon that is used should not change the outcome that much.

Indeed, a normal person would be completely defeated by a godspeed like this. However, Louise is a devil king, and not just one relying on wild instincts. There's a reason her first authority takes the form of a weapon.

From Shizuka's perspective Louise's movement seems slow and stiff, similar to lag from someone playing online games on a low-end computer. However, in a split-second Louise's sword goes from at her side to next to Shizuka's guitar, ready to parry.

A technique to counter godspeed. It's not that uncommon in the world of gods and kings. Both Salvatore Doni and Luo Hao have mastered this ability, as well as a myriad of war gods. It's not surprising that someone like Louise knows this ability as well.

Louise can almost feel the shock on Shizuka's face. Any other king would be wary of using godspeed without a back-up plan. After all, if it couldn't be countered than the likes of Alexandre Gascoigne would've ruled the entire earth. It's Shizuka's naivety and inexperience that let her make such a foolish mistake as this. One parry and Shizuka's body is wide open to be slashed into pieces. With this it is over!

The flat of the blade pushes the guitar to the side, making Shizuka's final attack useless. However, Shizuka is giving a cocky smile instead of a radiating fear, and a sharp stinging in her hand tells Louise why:

"Electricit-aargh!" This kid! Seeing the blue stone next to Shizuka is a clear indication of that an immense dose of electricity has been charged into this guitar, and by touching that guitar it has all been released, coursing through her body towards the ground

Incredible pain, incomparable to anything Louise has ever felt before. Muscle spasms and heart pains indicate that it's effective against Louise, this electricity must have an amperage high enough to make ordinary humans spontaneously combust if they would touch this guitar.

After a few painful seconds the electricity turns into a small explosion, the shockwave powerful enough to send Louise flying.

Louise doesn't stand up, this attack having been too much to handle. Shizuka cancels her godspeed, and sees in normal time that her older self on that balcony declares this a victory for the younger Shizuka.

"Everyone who has gathered here, I would like to thank you for witnessing this exhibition match. We have seen here a match between us Campione, and the powers they wield. Victory goes to the time-traveler, my past self: Kusanagi Shizuka!"

The crowd cheers at this interesting fight, and the spectating king continues with the speech. However, it all fades away for the young combatant, as the godspeed proved to be a very dangerous technique: Blood vessels in her body have popped, some bones are broken, and a few of her organs are failing due to overuse. Honestly, she might die from this all.

The only thing that is keeping Shizuka from going into coma is some sort of mysterious energy healing her, coming from the speech that her future self is giving. Is that also some kind of authority? Shizuka doesn't exactly know, but the warm feeling it gives off ensures that she will be fine. With a final thought that all will be okay, she falls unconscious.

-x-

 _Outside the boundaries of time and space, Netherworld._

When Shizuka opens her eyes, she finds herself standing in a world of grey. It's the same place as where she was 80 years ago, or 4 months if looking at it from Shizuka perspective. The Netherworld, also known as the boundary of life and immortality.

It's also the place where the memories of the void is located, which is holding back some data that Shizuka is currently retrieving through arriving in this place. There's especially one crucial piece of information that makes Shizuka scream in agony upon remembering:

"Fuck! How could I forget that Onii-chan is a Campione?" The sibling duo of superhumans, Shizuka's lack of magical training prevented her from keeping the memories obtained in this plane. "To think that something of such grave importance could be forgotten, I really am still lacking if I let something like happen."

"Well, it's not that bad, right?" A sweet and loving voice comes from behind her, and Shizuka instantly recognizes it. "Besides, aren't there other things you should focus on, it's not like the two of us can meet that often."

"I cannot argue with that. Nice to meet you again… mother." Pandora, the all-knowing, as well as the one who has adopted all the godslayers. Sure, she isn't Shizuka's real mother and calling her as such is still a bit awkward, but considering how little contact she has with her real mom means that Pandora doing a good job beating the real one.

"So, how about you try to turn around? You've now had some experience with the world of magic, so you should be able to move in this world now. Your dear maman does have a little surprise for you."

Shizuka is not really interested in the surprise, but it is important to try to see if she can move again. With great effort she tries to turn around, but it's like her body is made from rusty iron. Taking what feels like a minute she finally manages to see Pandora, giving Shizuka one of the biggest surprises in her life:

"Why is your hair rainbow-colored?" Not just that, the colors are constantly fluctuating, going over the spectrum of light until purple turns into red again and the cycle continues. It's rather… uncanny, though it does seem to fit with the current trends down on earth.

"Tadah!" Pandora on the other hand seems to want to show off her looks, as if it's something super special. "I've decided to go with the flow, just improve my image a bit. Times are changing, and when you… future you, I mean, offered me this gift to celebrate our mother-daughter bond I gracefully accepted. I also received some clothes, but to be honest I think that they look rather tacky. Do you want to see those too?"

"If they're anything like the modern fashion of today I'm afraid I will pass as well." Greek togas beat future fashion disasters, it's a fact that should be taught in school so that something as terrible as this future will not happen again.

"Then I guess that mommy dear will stick with how she looks now." Pandora turns slightly more serious, and changes the topic. "But I'm getting a bit off topic. Shizuka, I saw how difficult it was for you to turn around. Have you been studying your magic properly?"

"Ehm…" Honestly? Not really, no. The world of magic, and all its spells, is mainly a hobby, something to read through. After all, of all the spells in the world eighty percent can be copied by her authority, and ninety percent of the remaining ones aren't that useful for a godslayer. Even then learning the magic and learning to control it takes a lot of work, time that can also be spend on school or friends… or those random gods that show up for no reason. In general, Shizuka is hopelessly behind schedule, she hasn't even done a quarter of what she wanted.

Pandora can read enough about Shizuka to know how bad the situation is. "See? Because you cannot control your own magic energy you have trouble moving here. I would say that you can only remember a tenth of the things happening here at best." Emitting a small sigh Pandora starts to release her uneasiness, and goes back to her bubblier self. "But who cares. Just visit mommy often enough, and maybe you will eventually remember everything!"

Pandora hugs her child, who is rather uncomfortable with this level of close contact. It may be normal for Grecians, but it sure isn't for the more closed-off Japanese.

When the two young women come loose from one another Shizuka thanks her adoptive mother, but does come with a question. It's a perfect question for the so-called woman who knows everything: "Say, mother, is this future also mine? Will I eventually become her, that world-influencing Campione with a terrible sense of fashion?"

"Who knows?" Huh, so even the all-knowing mother doesn't know the answer. "The other person is certainly you, having experienced the same events in her youth. However, with all this time-travelling of Madame Aisha the future is becoming a lot looser."

"So… it might not end up like this at all?"

"Well, there is Plutarch, who writes down the future of the world. Changing what he writes is equal to opposing destiny." Shizuka is somewhat saddened by those world, but Pandora wasn't finished: "But don't forget that in this timeline my children finally managed to slay Rama, which is equal to opposing the will of the world. You're a devil king, dear, a Campione! You shouldn't be bothered by silly things like destiny, fate, or anything else that stands in your way. Just remember one thing: You can ch _zzzt_ - _"_

Static, a sign that Shizuka is about to log off from this plane. "Aww, leaving _bzzz_ soon? Oh well, just remember to follow _kzzt_ path, and you'll find what you w _tzzz_."

Shizuka tries to give a final, somewhat painful nod, but her body has already turned rigid, unable to move in this domain between life and death. The other words of Pandora turn into a mess, and her vision pixelates into fog. She can barely see Pandora waving goodbye before the world turns black.

-x-

 _16 May 2094, early afternoon, the younger Shizuka's bedroom._

Fear.

Absolute terror.

Science will call fear a human survival instinct. Whenever met with something dangerous or unexpected it will kick in to ensure self-preservation, activating your flight response so you don't linger around danger. Only fools like Campione can call themselves with the moniker of "fearless".

Shizuka cannot call herself fearless. She has been in a lot of bizarre and dangerous situations, and there was always a bit of fear there in the back of her consciousness. However, her drive and willpower are usually able to don't let fear get the better of her emotions and actions. The moment you wake up is not one where you've gathered a lot of drive, and you're generally a bit more sluggish. Because of this there was nothing Shizuka could do but scream when the first thing she saw after waking up is that insane Frenchie lying on top of her, her insane smiling face only a few inches separated from Shizuka's:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

After a second or two Shizuka starts to calm down from this jumpscare, and tries to logically think it through. Why on earth would Louise be lying on top of Shizuka, who until now was just asleep? Well… the answer is… not a clue. This makes no sense, why is Louise here?

Shizuka asks, and immediately receives answer. "Obviously, this ward is meant for the injured to rest. As we were both heavily injured after our match, it only makes sense that we are resting together!"

Shizuka turns her head, and sees that she is indeed not in her own room, but in what appears to be a hospital room with two beds. Considering that the other one is empty with traces of someone recently having slept in it means that it's clear that Shizuka is now a temporary roommate of Louise.

Oh, what a joy to share a room with this idiot.

Ignoring the woman on top of her Shizuka decides that now is a good time to get a feel for how much time has passed since the duel. She concentrates on her power, trying to get a feel how full her stones are. If it's been a day or so, the stones should be filled only fo-why are the stones completely full?

"Louise, how long did I sleep?!" Shizuka is panicking, fearful that the worst has come to pass. If the stones are full, then a full week or more has passed. If that's true, then what happened to the full moon with which she was supposed to return home? "Has it already been the twentieth of May?!"

"Don't worry, it's still the sixteenth." Those words calm Shizuka, and for the first time the young king is grateful of her peer. Said peer is also quite capable of guessing why Shizuka freaked out like that: "My friend, did you try to measure the cooldown on your authority to determine how much time has passed? It's normally a good method, but your future self holds an authority that makes such methods unreliable."

Louise gets off Shizuka and sits back down on her own bed. With some excited hand gestures she explains [Achtung, baby!], an authority that Kusanagi Shizuka will obtain later in life. How it can restore the health, magic power and authority cooldowns of a single person. It's an authority that can only be used once a month with a bit of preparation, but now it was used on Shizuka.

"It's also why you are uninjured, my friend, while my body is completely sore."

No, merely sore is not the good word for Shizuka: burn marks, frost bite, several wounds that are still being stitched; "Wait, does that mean that I'm the one who inflicted all those injuries?" Shizuka does remember that she knocked out Louise, but it should not have been that bad, right?

Louise remembers what exactly happened, the part that the younger Kusanagi Shizuka did not remember:

 _With both sides unconscious the last king remaining is planning to send in the medics. The other two are quite hurt even though one of her authorities, [Achtung, baby!], was used to patch up her younger self. But this is good. The audience seems to have enjoyed the match, and both devil kings have learned a lesson out of this match. Now, it's just time for the cleanu-_

" _Death. Decay. Destruction." It seems that Louise has woken up. However, her eyes are glazed and her movements are unnatural. "I am the venom born from the void of the world, the one dwelling in dirt and poverty. Those who preside on wealth, you blessed ones of Lakshmi, prepare yourself for the one presiding on sorrows!"_

 _Blue streams of energy stream from everything in the surroundings, the corpses in the arena decaying much quicker than usual. The energy streams into Louise, whose wounds are slowly healing._

 _This is Louise's fourth and final authority, obtained from the Hindu goddess Nitrti_ {2} _. A promise was made between the two future devil kings that this authority would be kept hidden from the general public and only used in the greatest emergencies. This is not such a moment, so there's only one explanation left for the adult Kusanagi Shizuka:_

" _Oh crap, she just went absolutely berserk. Not again." After suffering from devastating blows this woman will shut off her mind, becoming a machine purely meant for killing. It's not the first time the future Shizuka has dealt with it, but she did hope that last time would be her last. Ugh, this is making the situation so much more complicated._

" _Fuyuhime, take care of evacuating the audience. I don't have the energy to spare to keep up this barrier while knocking my kin out cold. Also, make sure that it's unlikely my past self finds out about this fight." The older Fuyuhime complies, and with swift moments she knocks both her past self and past Sakura out. That should prevent them from whistle-blowing._

" _I'll be going now, Shizuka. Take care." With that said Fuyuhime leaves the podium, giving the older Shizuka time to make a small speech:_

" _People of the audience, it would appear that one of our participants has gone berserk. I would ask of you all to calmly evacuate the arena and take a small break, and come back in twenty minutes when the rest of the program is in action. Staying to watch the suppression is allowed, but note that this is at your own risk. The barrier protecting you from the devil king's attack will not be maintained during the suppression."_

 _Most of the audience quickly leaves the stadium, though there are also some people staying to watch. It's their choice to make. Seeing all that Shizuka chants spell words to summon a long golden cape with red embroidery, the power it radiates indicating it's some authority. The fourth king jumps down into the arena, and the magic wall around the battlefield starts to flicker. Within a minute that power will run dry, and this authority will affect all the humans who watched this match. Hundreds, if not thousands would die._

" _In other words, I've got exactly one minute to knock you out, Louise." Shizuka puts the cape she summoned on Shizuka, causing the blue energy stream between the two younger kings to be broken. With herself secured, it's time to go in for the kill. "Louise, I know that you'll be able to remember this, so keep what happened here silent. I'm about to show you how someone should really use the [Philosopher Stones]."_

 _Louise charges at her foe, chanting spell words of power to summon the ultimate weapon for Slaying Kusanagi Shizuka. The other devil king has spell words of her own to counter:_

" _Energy of down below, hearth of the planet, the capsule of power. Erupt and engulf that which opposes me!"_

 _The sand underneath Louise turns red, heating up quickly and melting down. Basically the entire arena, except for the place that the two Shizuka's stand on, has been turned into a field of lava. This is the children's game "the floor is lava" made reality, all courtesy of the power of [Earth] that manipulates rocks and sand._

 _To prevent damage to her feet Louise jumps upwards, planning to use a magic spell like [Leap] to go to the older Shizuka's location. That cannot be allowed, so Shizuka switches from [Earth] to [Fire] to manipulate the heat of the flames: "Flames, gaze upwards! Imprison the enemy, prevent their escape!"_

 _Columns of flame arise from the Lava, forming a maze around Louise that quickly turns into a prison around her. With this all directions but upwards have been sealed off. However, it's clear to Louise that that direction is a trap. Spell words change her sword of Campione-slaying into a blade of water and ice, meant to quell the flames around her. With a single swing Louise opens a hole in her prison, making these flames pointless._

" _Burning wind, bring change! An order to the north, a request calling the west, a demand from the south, a behest of the east! The ways of the air are mine to command!"_

 _[Wood] has been used to summon a mighty wind from all directions, turning the flaming pillars into a gigantic maelstrom. The hole Louise cut out has disappeared, being forced on the defensive to not get hurt by random streams of fire. The air is hot enough that tiny clear blisters appear over Louise's face, a sign that this magical heat is enough to give a Campione heat rash._

 _Even so the younger king does not give up the fight, as she manages to keep up her defense. Leaning from past experience she knows that this level of power cannot be kept up for that long, meaning that when there's even the smallest exhaustion in Shizuka's power Louise can take advantage of it._

" _O Thunder, o lightning." Above Louise Shizuka has appeared, standing on a platform generated by magic. Now with the stone of [Water] at her side, she's planning another attack. "The raging tempest, the bellowing storm, obey my heed and strike down my foes!"_

 _A massive stream of thunder flows down through the eye of the tornado, strong enough to severely damage Louise, perhaps even enough to kill. It flows down with divine speed, crashing down at whatever is in the way. It's strength and speed are sufficient to wound even the greatest of gods, and the flaming surroundings permit no escape._

 _Too naïve, Kusanagi Shizuka! Did you not learn from watching your younger self that godspeed is nothing more than a parlor trick before a seasoned warrior? With a single spell of [Leap] Louise manages to barely graze this spell of godspeed, before using another to leap at her opponent at high speeds._

 _Shizuka has no defense against this. In a single fluid movement Louise has cut Shizuka in two, the power of her authority creating tons of other cuts on the older king's body. On Kusanagi's forehead a glowing third eye appears, just before her body shatters like glass. With this, the battle is ove-_

" _The queen of winter proclaims her rule: All that does not bend to her will shall wither and die."_

 _That voice!_

 _Louise quickly turns her head around, finding her opponent still alive and standing a few feet away from her.. How did she-there's no way the stones were able to bring her back from the back like that!_

 _The smirk on Shizuka's triumphant face is enough to tell Louise that she had just been tricked. Shizuka used another authority to survive, and is using the final stone of her first authority to cast another spell! Louise doesn't have the time for a spell with which to attack or disengage, as Shizuka finishes her chant: "Come, you insolent, and I shall grant you a cold grave!"_

 _Shizuka aims her palm at Louise, and a massive blizzard springs forth. Louise tries to escape, but finds her movement slowed quickly by the storm. After a second her body stops responding to her will, quickly gathering a layer of ice around it. The murderous intent Louise had disappears, as well as all her other thoughts. She's going to be knocked out for a while._

 _The block of ice falls down to earth, and Shizuka dismissed all authorities other than the last one. She lands gracefully on the arena floor, next to her enemy who landed less gracefully. With a final flicker the barrier of the area sizzles out, meaning that Shizuka won just in time. The blue stream of energy from Louise's authority has stopped, meaning that the area is safe once more._

"Yes, I guess that no matter how many years Kusanagi Shizuka has been a false god slayer, she will always be like an angel on the battlefield."

Normally this is where Shizuka would press the other person into revealing more information. However, for once she is hesitant to continue. Louise is not quite… sane, after all, and would lead to ramblings of at least a dozen minutes. The current hypothesis is that everytime Louise is opening her mouth it temporarily lowers the IQ of everyone who can hear her.

A voice interrupts the duo of godslayers, meaning that Louise does not have the time to speak. Whoever produced this miracle, Shizuka is truly grateful!

"I see that you two are awake again, and in quite the good shape." Standing in the doorway is none other than Koudzuki Sakura… right? Shizuka can't exactly put a finger on it, but from the way Sakura speaks, walks and stands the meekness she always had has decreased, so to say.

"Sakura-chan, come in, come in. It's good to see you again, what exactly happened while I was away?" Even so, it's good to have a friend in the room. Louise doesn't count. Now here is someone who can reliably tell her what was missed.

"Nothing much, nothing at all. Just a lot of other sports events. Most of the matches had predictable results, except for the basketball finals. It was the only match that was interesting, I never expected the Dragonflies to win."

"I se-"

Before Shizuka can say anything else Sakura hugs the bedbound Shizuka, who is quite surprised at this sudden intimacy. Sure, it's better that Sakura hugs her than anyone else, but the shock is that it's Sakura of all people who is hugging. Where did this adolescent get all her confidence from?

"But yes, it's fantastic that I'm finally able to do this to you. I've been looking forward to this for a very long time, Shizuka!"

Very long time? Also, since when did Sakura stop addressing her niece without honorifics? Something is very wrong with this situation, and Shizuka wants to get to the bottom of it. What if some sort of shapeshifter is copying Sakura's body with malicious intent? Or the more likely and worse answer, what if this is a prank from her older self?

Ugh, no other choice than to simply ask: "Sakura-chan, excuse me for asking, but you're clearly not the same person as my friend. Who are you, and what did you do to my niece?"

It is Louise who begins to clarify upon hearing this question: "My friend, please open your senses and feel. Unlike you, this witch here has no traces from time-space fluctuational mana inside her body. I do not know who this woman is, but she's obviously not your apostle."

"You're correct, miss Lorraine, I'm not the Sakura that recently travelled through time. Now, that should only leave one possible candidate, right, past version of my niece?"

Wait, does she mean that this Sakura is the future version, the one from this timeline?

Before Shizuka can ask for the correct answer said answer slides the door of the room open. Another Sakura, with the exact same looks and clothes as the one hugging Shizuka. However, she's a lot less self-confident than this future version:

"Eh? W-why am I hugging Shizuka-chan over there? What exactly is going on?"

The future Sakura stops hugging, and goes over to greet herself. "Ah, it's me from the past." The Sakuras exchange pleasantries, the tempo of the conversation led by the future self. Louise and Shizuka simply stare at the two women who look literally identical.

"It's unbelievable, to think that one would change so little over many decennia. Is this some divine miracle I'm witnessing here?"

"For once I'm considering your words as a possibility, Louise." Heck, whatever caused this please tell Shizuka where to find this as well. If Sakura ever finds the fountain of youth then it's up to Shizuka to make a profit from selling it to the masses.

The two Sakuras turn to the devil kings, and the older one takes the word: "Now then, I guess some introductions are in order. As you can see, I'm the future version of Koudzuki Sakura. As the left hand of the current king of Japan, I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I was busy with suppressing an evil cult in the north of Portugal, and it took me longer than expected."

"Oh, are you talking about those corrupt followers of Endovelicus _{3}_?" Louise seems to know what is spoken about, as the Iberian peninsula is close to her own territories. "Then I thank you for quelling their rebellion, my friend. Blessings be upon you for this grandiose act, I would've been forced to do it myself if it weren't for you."

"Yes, do not worry about it. The future Shizuka has gotten pretty good at world politics, so it's not wrong to say that she has quite some influence in at least half of the political governments in the world. If there's ever a major problem in one of those countries it only occurred because she allowed it to happen."

With that said the older Sakura remembers that she also came her for another reason. The future Shizuka has made a claim that tomorrow will be a busy day for all three devil kings, so today should be spend on pleasant activities.

Louise is invited to a grand dinner with the future king. Sakura gets a surprise lesson from her future self. As for the king of the past, she's given a simple paper with a quickly scribbled note:

 _I think we both know what we want. Remember, the password for the account is Lii1721._

This brings a smile on Shizuka's face, knowing exactly what that means. Yes, her schedule is full until tomorrow.

-x-

 _17 May 2094, noon, Neo-Tokyo ghettos._

Today is the fifth day after arriving in the future, meaning that this trip is already half-way over. Only four days left until the full moon and the return home.

The activity planned for the afternoon won't start until it's four, so there's a bit of free time that the group is allowed. Shizuka plans to use this time alone, wanting to see the true face of the society her future self has created.

Even the most incompetent ruler can make a pretty-looking face that makes the country appear the greatest in the world, even if it is a mask to hide that the rest of the country is in shambles. To distinguish the kings from the rabble is to look at the bottom of society. Just how well are these people able to live their life?

Shizuka has therefore gone to the ghettos, locations that under no circumstances a 13-year-old girl should visit. There are only two reasons why this bad idea isn't immediately punished: The visitor is a devil king who wouldn't need to fear even if Japan's entire self-defense force were to face her, and that these "slums" are not as slummy as expected.

Streets without any litter, surrounded by tall, basic but well-kempt apartments. There's also quite a bit of greenery with planted threes and some shrubberies, and there's even a children's playground.

It's not quite as nice as what she had seen thus far, but compared to her own home back in normal Tokyo this is about as good a living space, perhaps even better. There are no thugs or criminals, it's not as busy as her own streets and the kinds in the streets are playing outside without a care in the world. There's even police officers patrolling these streets!

The map is checked again to see if this is the correct location. There's no way these are some of the poorest people in Japan, can she really have achieved this much? Looking around she sees a little alleyway, perhaps a remnant from time long gone. In front of it is very clear no-go zone sign, indicating that it leads to something that her future self does not want to show to humanity.

That sounds like just the thing to investigate. Shizuka walks through he alleyway, watching out for anything abnormal. As far as she can tell it's a rather normal alleyway, with some dark corners but nothing too bad. It's like one of those shortcuts back in Tokyo you're always told to never take because everyone says there ar-

"Why hello there, girlie. What is a precious little thing doing in a place like this?"

-e delinquents hanging around. Right, some things apparently never seem to change. Even though fashion has advanced eighty years it's impossible not to recognize the two grown men in front of her as criminal delinquents.

"Just visiting the area. What does it matter to you?"

"Oh, it matters. You see, this street is our private property. To pass through I'm afraid you have to pay some toll."

"And it appears that no matter the era there is always trash on the streets." And very unlucky trash too. Out of the millions of people in this country they chose one of the only two devil kings to rob. Shizuka almost feels bad for them. "Either way, I don't see your name anywhere, nor a toll booth, nor anything else to prove your authority. How about you leave me alone and we call it quits?"

Even if the situation is massively in Shizuka's favor these thugs should be offered the chance to retreat. They are only human, after all.

"How about we do it like this?" The taller of the duo pulls out knife from inside of his coat, coated with some kind of toxic substance. "My buddy over here will use magic to extract the fare from your account. Since we're such nice guys, we'll only take half of your money. If you resist and prevent the transaction, you would force poor old me to stab you with this blade. It won't kill you, but the hydra poison it's been tipped in makes you suffer unimaginable pain. And trust me, neither of us wants that solution."

And peaceful solutions have failed. From this point onwards, Shizuka won't hold herself responsible for these two robbers. Shizuka grabs the knife with her hand, which cuts skin-deep into her. The robbers freak out, even calling Shizuka insane for doing so:

"Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish to inflict the worst pain ever on yourself?"

"It's not that bad, there are mosquitoes that have a worse sting." The wound itches a little, but it's more annoying than painful. To see the true results of this poison something else needs to be poisoned, and there is some trash that can make itself useful as test subjects.

A teenage girl would normally not have the power to grapple against an adult male. However, the slight power boost of a devil king combined with the shocked state of the guy means that Shizuka managed to insert the tip of the weapon into the thug's shoulder in a single fluid motion.

After a second of disbelief the thug begins to drop to the floor, rolling around in pain. His friend knows what time it is and makes the wise decision to bail, running away from this demoness. Shizuka lets him go, not really interested in mere thieves.

The thief is not that lucky as he runs face-first into a pair of cops, who do not look to happy with this man. "Well, what are you doing in this area?"

The thief is speechless, but from twenty meters behind him Shizuka is shouting that these two were trying to rob her. One of the cops uses magic to bind the fleeing robber to the ground, while the other goes to Shizuka and the remaining robber.

Shizuka gives a small summary of what happened: How these two tried to rob her of her money by threatening with a poison-coated dagger (that Shizuka has dropped to the floor by now), that she managed to cause the thief to stab himself, that this made him roll on the floor in agony and caused the other to flee.

The cop listens to the story, but is also using his own retina device to scan the poisoned thief. "This guy again? It's saddening to see that someone falls back into crime. But the law is the law, so he should've expected this."

The cop draws his gun and shoots the criminal suffering from the hydra's venom. His buddy does the same with the other thief.

"Eh?" Shizuka is shocked by this bizarre murder. Did these cops just murder criminals in cold blood? The cops don't care, as they now turn to the young devil king.

"Now as for you, missus, there's no face in the criminal database that matches yours." Wait, why does he speak like that? It's almost like they're condemning her as a criminal!

"Wait, what have I done wrong?" Why are they accusing her?

The other policeman steps in and explains: "Can you not read? There's a sign saying this is a no-go area." People get arrested for such minor infractions? What kind of dystopia did she suddenly land in? "Since this is your first offense, we'll merely be sending you on a rehabilitation course. Don't worry, they'll only break down your desire to break the law, they won't mess with any legal hobbies and enjoyments you have."

"I understand what you're saying." Those words were spoken calmly. A very calm, very nuanced appearance that hides great anger. Not so much at these police officers, but at the one creating this world. "Then let me ask you a question: Did any of you see the match between Louise du Lorraine and the past Kusanagi Shizuka? If you did not, which I assume, I would sincerely recommend you do that now."

The cops ignore her words, using some spell on her that is supposed to cause obedience. Naturally, it doesn't work against a king. Since the cops use force, Shizuka has the right to show off a bit as well.

"O water, descend from the heavens." [Water] descends, the power of her authority concealed in that stone as large as she is. The cops are surprised at this force and aim their guns, ready to fire at any suspicious movement. Shizuka doesn't care, the wounds those weapons leave will be skin-deep at best. She continues to speak with tranquil anger, aimed at these cops. "Now then, do you recognize power? Do you recognize authority? Seriously, is this world so hopeless where people of the law like you do not recognize when they meet a ruler greater than what they can enforce?"

One of the cops finally recognizes the young devil king, to his own fear. He turns to his partner, who is still under misguided believes. "H-Hey, I think we might be trying to arrest a devil king here…"

"What are you talking about, there are no godslayers of such ag-" and suddenly it hits the other officer too that they might be dealing with the younger version of their glorious leader.

Before this angered Shizuka the two cops have been reduced to shivering wrecks, scared of any retribution they might incur. They beg for their lives, hoping that Shizuka will spare them:

"Please forgive us, we don't know what we were doing to arrest someone as grandiose as you."

"It was not our intention to go against your will!"

"Please, we were just following the law that your future part made for this country!"

It is that last sentence that makes Shizuka pause her thoughts. These absurd laws, made by her own hand? "Really, is that the truth?" It sounds too stupid to be true, there's no way she would do something like that.

"Y-yes, it is! We rehabilitate first-time offenders, and kill repeat offenders. That is the law for policemen."

Ugh, to think that that ridicule should be taken into possibility. Very well, then these policemen get what they deserve. The retina lens she equipped a few days ago has already made pictures of the two men, meaning that if they are lying her future self will make up some good punishment for them. As for now…

"Then let's play a game of hide and seek. In about four days I'll be returning to the past. If you can hide from me until then you win and I won't punish you. If I find you, well… I guess you can share the fate of these two thugs you killed. You have a five-minute head start."

The two policemen grovel before Shizuka as they're asking, no, begging for forgiveness. Shizuka's answer is simple: "Four minutes and thirty seconds. If this keeps up it will be a simple game."

This is enough of a cue for the law officers to get the hell out of here, scattering from the scene. Shizuka lets out a big sigh, wondering what the truth is behind this all. She is going to have a stern talk with her future self.

-x-

 _17 May 2094, afternoon, Kyoto._

Shizuka was picked up from her location and sent on a plane trip to Kyoto, to meet with the other two Campiones currently in Japan. Shizuka has no idea what exactly is going on, but it's apparently something very important, as said by the future version of Sakura. So long as some time can be made free beforehand to explain the situation with the cops, then the young king is perfectly willing to help with this matter of grave urgency.

When she arrives in Kyoto Shizuka gawks at everything around her, as the city seems to be even more modern than Neo-Tokyo. It's looks so beautiful that Shizuka wants to skip out on the meeting and go sightseeing.

It's a pity that her sense of duty weighs heavier than her sense of joy, so with a tinge of sadness Shizuka steps into a car that brings her to the remote countryside outside of Kyoto. It's already less modern, though there are enough pieces of technology visible on the farmlands that are not expected to be created until the latter half of the 21st century.

The point of arrival is an old mine. The technology, new as it is, shows signs of rust and decay. This place has been out of commission for a long time, and it clearly shows.

In front of the entrance is a group of people Shizuka already knows. Sakura and Fuyuhime, her own companions, as well as the future versions of the trio.

There's also the crazy king from France, but that is a side issue.

"My young friend, it is good to see you once more. Truly we are blessed with another meeting." Louise rambles once again about friendship and stuff, so Shizuka simply gives a curt greeting before moving on to the important matter:

"As for you, my future self, I think that you owe me a little explanation. What is with the introduction of the death penalty for repeat offenders? And brainwashing for the first-timers? Is this utopia of yours in actuality some sort of Orwellian dystopia?"

The two younger companions seem shocked, while the others simply give off signs of acceptance. The fourth king is willing to give an answer, but first she needs to address another issue: "Before that, I need to explain why we're here. Inside of this mountain is an evil cult that my men have been tracking for quite some time. These followers are planning on resurrecting Inari-no-Ookami, the fox god."

"Just a question to make sure: How long have you all been here?"

"Oh, in my case an hour or two. The rest arrived later, about thirty minutes ago."

"Eh?" That doesn't make sense. Couldn't a godslayer simply go in, strike them all down, and thus prevent the ritual like that? Why go through the whole ordeal of deicide when a simple raid will do?

The future king understands the thoughts of her past self, and gives a simple explanation: "It has to be this way, you know. I was aware of their movements since a long time ago. However, if I strike a cell of them down then there will always be those who manage to survive and flee. The survivors lay low for a few months, and then they resume their activities anew. No, the only way to slay these cultists is by letting them summon their deity. All cultists appear for such an event, and the only way to catch them all is to take them out just after the summoning."

The rest understands, and the group enters the cave. In front are some guards, low-level mages who disguised themselves as mineworkers, keeping everyone who could interfere with the resurrection out of the cave.

One of the guards speaks up, attempting to uphold the masquerade: "Ladies, this place is closed for ordinary people, you cannot enter he-"

He suddenly finds himself with a poisonous dagger in the face, he as well as all his companions. Everyone looks at Louise, who is holding five more of those like a fan.

"What? I would say that those heathens should be honored by obtaining identification passes like these."

Everyone simply sighs at Louise. Say what you want, but it is an effective way of dealing with these cultists. Only the younger king has her mind still set on all these murders of normal people.

Could it be that because of the introduction to magic crime has become more apparent? Where first there were ordinary murderers at its worst, with magic their potential danger increases tenfold. Is that why the laws have become so much stricter, as with the greater power of society comes greater responsibility?

It… is an acceptable excuse, for now. Shizuka simply accepts it, though a talk with her future self is still needed.

Shizuka is awakened from her thinking as an enormous spike of magical power appears. Its indication is clear: The cult is successful, and the god has been summoned. Both Shizukas order their followers to go outside and regroup, as fighting in these tunnels makes them all to likely to get caught in the battle and injured. The rest continue moving towards the heart of these tunnels, until their reach a large cave in the center of the underground network.

There are no more mages inside the cave. Instead there are an abundance of foxes, in all colors and sizes. Putting two and two together gives the conclusion that most likely these foxes once were the mages, transformed by divine power.

In the back of the cave is a large summoning altar, where a humanoid being has seated himself in a makeshift chair of rocks. An androgynous person whose gender is not clear, with blond hair in a low ponytail. Long, golden robes that would fit on both sexes, as well simple ordinary sandals mean that even the cloths do not reveal just what gender this person belongs to.

"Good evening, godslayers. I would not expect visitors so soon after my revival. This place may be shabby, but please, make yourself at home." A voice too high for a male, and too low for a female. There is no hostility in it, so the three devil kings simple come forward. The foxes scurry away, into the corners of the cave or hiding behind the deity.

"Good evening, Inari-no-Ookami." The older Shizuka politely greets the god, setting herself down on some rock. "Why chatting is a fun activity, I don't really have the time for it. Let me get straight to the point, and offer you the three options available to you: Flee to the netherworld, serve me or die."

"What an intriguing question. Before I answer, let me ask you something in return:" It's clear that Inari is refusing all three, but everyone lets the god finish the question: "I would offer a similar deal under normal circumstances, but I'm afraid that you have slighted me a bit. You see, there's blood from my friends on your hands. To be precise, two of you slew the exact same fox, but with a time span of eighty years in-between the deeds. Ruler of my lands, as well as your past aberration, I'm not forgiving to those who have slighted my plan. Please honor yourself by dying."

"Then it seems that battle is once more inevitable." The fourth king prepares for battle, and the other two kings do the same. However, this is not exactly what Inari wants. It turns to Louise, giving her the option of retreat.

"Foreign king, there's no quarrel between us. Retreat from this battlefield, I have no reason to fight against those who have not slighted me. If possible, we could hold a drink to-"

"Do not tempt me, Lord of the false pantheon. I did not come here to turn a blind eye to your wickedness, deceiver of the faith! As fast as you entered this world, so fast will I smite you back to hell!"

"Well… that's just mean to say." Inari looks at her opponent who does not back down, her faith being strong to insane levels. "Two godslayers who slew my kin, and one who appears rather high-strung. Current godslayer of this land, is that option of fleeing to the netherworld still open? I'm not some war god who rushes into battle against three godslayers."

"Then how about two?" The two younger godslayers look at their older peer, who is making this offer. "I'm considering this fight against you worthy training for my friends here, and I wouldn't do well to intrude on that. I'll merely use a single authority to summon a single servant to help them."

As the older Shizuka says, so is it done. She speaks the spell words for an authority not seen before by the others there, summoning the knight protector of the the queen:

"When my body is weak and numb, a horseman comes galloping by. He is dressed in red, his horse is red and the horse's harness is red too. It is my sword, my shield, and my lance; his protections empower me once again!"

Before the older Shizuka a knight phases into existence, just as described in the spell words: red plate mail, on top of a red horse in a red harness. "This will be my substitute. As for my friend and younger self, I wish you the best of luck in this battle. Please let this be a valuable experience for you two."

With that the future Shizuka disappears from the battlefield, retreating quickly and leaving the three others alone. With this the battle is ready to begin, and it is the god(dess?) itself who opens the fight with an authority, to make good on the last words it spoke: "I am Inari-no-Ookami, lord of the foxes, lord of the tricksters. My clan, let us pull a prank against these devil kings, a joke that will be remembered for eons to come!"

The deity puts on one of those fox masks, causing all the foxes in the vicinity to shimmer for a second. When they stop shimmering the foxes returned to human form, except that there were three differences:

Firstly, everyone wears the same fox mask as their lord; Secondly, all humans still retain the ears and the tails of a fox; Lastly, every one of them gives off the same divine feeling as Inari self!

"Divine beast, at last you went to seek out the company of creatures, who feed on grass and visit the watering ranges. But seeing you, they fled." However, minions shouldn't that big of a deal. If there is ever a godslayer who shouldn't fear these creatures it's the one that can convert them. "You that loved to range the hills are now unable to follow; In the mind of the wild beast there is beginning a new understanding; Bewilder, turn and find solace in my company!"

The fake Inari look bewildered, as if wondering what is going on. However, Shizuka cannot feel the hostility disappearing from these enemies.

"Hey hey, what just happened?" One of the Inari, a young woman with short brown hair, asks.

"I don't know, she spoke a bit and I feel slightly less hostile to that tall lime-hair gal there." A middle-aged, slightly pudgy male responds with cluelessness too.

"We've just been subjected to an authority, you stupid young'uns!" The next to speak is an elderly Inari with a beard, who rant in stereotypical elderly tone: "I guess it isn't that effective on these old bones of mine, though."

Two children Inari seem to disagree: "I dunno, I don't really feel like fighting them."

"Yeah, do we have to hurt them? I don't wanna."

Unlike with Shizuka's phoenix these Inari seem to be confused from Louise's authority at best. Was it effective? Shizuka whispers that question to her fellow godslayer, and quickly gets her reply:

" _My loyal friend, my authority is not good against large groups of divine beasts or transformed false gods. It is annoying to say, but consider each of these foxes as a minor false deity. At the very least, consider that each of them might wield an authority."_

In other words, it's a battle against the entire Inari clan. The advantage of numbers that the Campione had is now reversed, as the 3v1 turned into a 2v50. However, not everyone amongst these fifty opponents seem to want to fight.

The two children move forwards, reaching their hands out to the two devil kings as if they want candy. "Hey, big sisters, want to see a magic trick?"

Louise wants to slay these kids as fast as possible, and already summoned a fox-slaying blade in her hand. However, Shizuka allows these kids to continue, who perform their trick.

The two kids turn to each other, chanting at the same time. "Where do we get our iron? Where do we get our copper? From the mines of Itomuka to Yakushima {4}, the mine is always Inari's domain." It is around this point that Shizuka realizes that Inari tricked them, and that this is an authority from these two kids. The duo wants to interfere, but not before the kids finish the chanting: "We Inari will be deciding which shafts will be prosperous, and which will crumble!"

The area shakes, and Shizuka has an inkling about what these kids were planning: This is a large cave that shows signs of being hollowed out by humans. That means this counts as a mine. Since Inari also has the aspect of mining, that means that whether this cave collapses is all up to these foxes!

The cave crumbles, and large rocks fall between both parties. When the two devil kings want to flee they see that rocks are falling on that side too. Ugh, at this speed the two will never escape from here. Is an authority necessary to get out of here?

Suddenly Shizuka feels herself lifted from the ground, placed on something that is moving at high speeds. The surroundings around her blur, until she finds herself greeted by the outside sun. Wait, how did that happen?

Looking around her, she finds that both she and Louise have been placed on the back of the red knight her older self called forth. This knight moved at godspeed to bring the duo out of the cave, preventing them from using unnecessary power.

"It turns out my older self was right, this knight she summoned did come in handy."

"Yes, to think that my friend had managed to think through these events thus far, truly a magnificent tactic that I could learn from! O, may the future of this world be bright if all kings could learn from one another."

Shizuka would like to make a comment on her ally, but her enemies don't give her much of a chance. Surrounding the godslayers are their enemies, who seem to have escaped from the mountain in their own way.

The two devil kings jump off the knight's horse, discussing what to do next. Shizuka has not really a clue for what will be effective, so she asks Louise for ideas: "Do you have anything with which to trump these foxes?"

"I always have my sword ready, my friend, but nothing else that might work against them." Unless we have something that can actively hunt these enemies, we'll be forced to slaughter these heathens one by one."

"In other words, I need to waste my authorities to give you a fighting chance." Shizuka had resigned herself to the fate of support, but someone else seems to disagree."

"The enemies of a Campione are the gods. Leave their followers to your followers." Behind Shizuka and Lousie are both versions of Sakura and Fuyuhime, who seem to be here as back up.

"Hmph, these foxes even I can handle. This power you gave me, I'll put it to good use!"

"Y-Yeah! I won't let a single hair of my niece be crooked!"

The foxes don't seem to care, as they simply start their assault of the devil kings. However, they quickly run into a purple wall. The wall grows stronger with every passing moment, as the two Sakura seem to be chanting spell words to create this barrier around the group of six:

"As a true warrior, here I swear a solemn oath to Futsunushi: {5}" The Sakuras hold their weapon, the Jaaku na Gunsen, high and cause it to transform into a multitude of miniature, feather-like swords. "My blade shall be a tool for justice. I shall not use it for the sake of anger, nor for the sake of vengeance. My lord, let me protect you from all that is evil, for this is my sword!" These feathers spread out over the wall, thus creating an ultimate protection for those within its walls.

The defense is strong, but if these foxes fully concentrate on breaking the barrier then it will only last for a few seconds. A distraction is needed, something that is lethal to these familiars if they don't pay attention to it. To make it truly the ultimate protection it needs to be combined with an ultimate attack, which is exactly what the two Fuyuhimes are chanting now:

"How shameful, Kuraokami! Even the plum at the sacred fence is withered. How can we call you a god of the heavens, a god of rain?" Just like the future Sakura taught a first-class spell to her past self, so too did Fuyuhime with her younger version. Each has learned their own spell to help in this situation, and form a strong and powerful combination. "Almighty god, if you too can see, then rise up shouting and cast open Heaven's River's gates!" {6}

The sky grows dark, and a heavy rain starts to fall in the surroundings. However, rain itself is not going to stop these foxes from trying to break the barrier. For that a second spell is needed:

"The rushing of the rapids and the buzzing of the cicadas at the tip of the branch are all the sound of a small river. What a life, in the midst of which you die!"

The rain becomes less heavy, but only because the remaining droplets have fused together to form spears of water! Sure, they're not deadly enough to harm gods or devil kings much, but these familiars of Inari should be hurt quite a bit if hit with one of these spears.

The foxes know this, and need to spend quite some focus on dodging the attack from the Fuyuhime combination.

"You have about a minute before our shield is broken."

The older Sakura's reply stresses out the two devil kings a bit, who need to think of something fast.

"I have a weapon that can hurt these evil minions, but nothing to reach them all."

"Even if we could reach them, we need something that can keep pursuing them, act on their own."

"Is pursuing good enough? We need to actively hunt them or they might come to attack us in the back."

"That's true. If it's not a hunting weapon, then my authority cannot form that. Maybe create something that can wield my sword as a hunting weapon?"

The duo of godslayers keep pursuing this line of thought, but surprisingly it's the younger Sakura who comes with a solution: "Uhm, if it's about hunting foxes… Don't they use hunting dogs for that?"

Hunting dogs, huh… well, it's not like Louise's authority can create life. Louise will have to silently thank Sakura but reject the proposa-"

"Sakura, you're a genius!" Louise looks at her peer, who is suddenly shouting those words. What could Shizuka mean by those words, her authority does not work like that?

When Louise wants to bring doubt on those words Shizuka shuts her up, explaining her plan: "Louise, you make weapons of the hunt: dog fangs, and their claws. If you forge those, then I will make the dogs who can wield them!"

Heh. That sounds stupid enough to work. Louise trusts her friend, who summoned the stone of metal. [Metal] creates furred beasts, so that includes dogs. The kings start to chant, speaking spell words of power: "Ears like tall satellite dishes, homing in on every sound, twitching. Noses glistening wet and black, the smell of every creature is evident."

"Fangs like sharp knives, biting through even the toughest of furs. Claws like honed swords, obliterating in a single strike."

"Eyes scanning the landscape, ever alert to any slight movement. Thick fur which insulates and sheds, protecting the loyal creature."

The air around them starts to shift, as dog-like creature are forming around them. Together they simultaneously speak the final spell words: "O, now we go hunting, with our strength combined. Let us go on the prowl, following the trail of the foxes!"

An army of around fifty dogs, all very good at one specialized ability: hunting foxes. Inari's followers seem a bit scared, but they react with bravery as Shizuka and Louise order a full-on charge on the foxes.

The hunting dogs prove to be very effective, pushing the numerical advantage of Inari back to even. The dogs hunt the foxes, and the foxes trick the dogs. In almost comical manner the two perform this cycle, leaving the devil kings free to attack as well.

Everyone performs their own part in this fight: The followers support with the suppression of the familiars, Louise leads the dogs in the slaughter of these foxes, and Shizuka plans to take out the command. There, all the way in the back, is a very familiar figure, one of a certain deity whom they met in the cave. Shizuka sprints to her enemy, who politely greets the devil king:

"So, it seems that it's finally time for the boss to act. Youngster, I would like to perform a little experiment: If I kill the past incarnation of this world's king, what will happen to the future version of it? Will she disappear as well, so that there are no more disruptions of Japan's peace?"

"I'm sorry, but while I certainly think that there are some points my other self has likely failed, I've no intention of giving my live for such an absurd question. Before even asking such a question I would worry about living to see tomorrow if I were you." With that taunt Shizuka summons her stone of earth, using the one of her four remaining stones for her next attack:

"Heaven, lake, fire, thunder, wind, water, mountain, earth! Easing ego, lessening lust, distilling desire, improving ignorance, Purifying possessiveness, alleviating aggression! Inari, you who thinks he's lording the universe, realize you are but trapped in the palm of my hand!" _{7}_

Five pillars of earth surround Inari, a powerful forcefield flowing between these pillars. It's not strong enough to defend against authorities meant for destruction, but Inari doesn't seem to do anything to defend. Good for Shizuka, as the cage only becomes stronger as the pillars grow wider, forming a dome around the deity. The only weak spot is a small, hexagonal shape in front of the god, and is the only way through which sound can still flow between the two enemies. Inari is planning to make use of it:

"Planning to seal off my movements, devil king? It won't even take a minute to escape from this prison!"

Shizuka calmly walks to the prison, giving her own explanation: "I only need ten seconds. O fire, descend from the heavens." Shizuka summons the stone of fire to her side, and sticks it into the small gap.

"Oh… crap." Inari is rather terrified, realizing what the plan of the enemy is.

"This fire is radiant and powerful, incinerating all in its way!"

Fire strong enough to melt mountains is amassing inside of the earth prison. A heat agglomeration hotter than the sun is burning everything inside the trapping, and Inari knows it.

"Nughoooooh! How the heeeeell, noooo! Noooot heeeeeereeeeee…!"

Inari is dying, and the battlefield is realizing it. The followers of Inari need a short pause as they realize that their boss just died. Even the devil kings are silent, looking at this battle that ended in an anticlimax. Well, Shizuka doesn't mind, a quick battle is a good battle.

When the magical presence inside of the trap is gone Shizuka releases the authority, to check upon what remains. She opens the cage…

…and finds the charred body of a human corpse. No way, that would mean that this Inari was actually-

"A decoy." From behind Shizuka one of Inari's followers speaks up and finishes Shizuka's thoughts, morphing back to show that Inari was hiding as one of the followers. With a single finger snap Shizuka's body is covered in chains, powerful enough to bind even the most powerful mage for months. However, Shizuka is a Campione. She should be able to break out in seconds merely by raising her magical power to the limit.

"Blade sheathed in despair, forged from the heat of passionate hatred." Inari does not want to miss these few seconds of opportunity, and uses spell words of Inari, patron of the Japanese swordsmith. "Man melted with metal, smiting dealt death with every blow. Cold blood to cold steel. In the vulnerability of life, blood splatters."

Tens, no, hundreds of katanas were forged from nothing, and are now all rushing at the younger king. Each of these weapons is magical, strong enough to obliterate the body of a mortal and harm the body of a Campione. When these hit the chance is high that Shizuka will die.

With enough struggling Shizuka barely manages to break the chains and use her arms to protect her vitals, but she has nothing else to stop this barrage. For Shizuka, the connection with the world disappears as everything turns black.

…

Everything? No, a small shiver of light shines through. Literally, in fact, as everything around her is covered by some sort of cape except for a small part through which a twinkling of light appears. Using this bare minimum to see she finds herself encapsulated in woven fabric alongside her older self. The swords seem to hit the surrounding cloth, but not even one pierces through. It seems that the future king saved the one from the past.

"What are you doing here?" Shizuka is grateful for the help, but she's certain that this is her fight. She's supposed to be the one on training here. "Weren't you saying something along the lines of leaving it all to your younger peers? I was not exactly expecting any help from you."

The cape around the two Shizukas opens, revealing that Inari's attack is over. "I guess you're correct. Someone like me should help as well, leaving it all to the younger generation is unbefitting of me. Besides, even I want to look good in front of myself." The fourth devil king turns towards Inari, fully intend to show a new trick in her book. "Lord of foxes, gaze upon this authority well. It took me a bit of time to prepare it, but for the sake of this battle it's wholly necessary."

"Hmph! Well then, usurper of my country! Show me what other absurd strength you have up your sleeve!"

"Wrong, Inari. It is not through strength that you will meet your downfall, but through knowledge!" A golden circle of Persian origin appears beneath the older Shizuka's feet, as she starts to chant the spell of her authority:

"Both eloquent and powerful. I am the sword of wisdom, that which tears foes apart." From the circle rises a sword, coming up hilt-first. "I am the strongest, for I am the one holding all victory in my hands. I shall smash through all enemies in my way!" The sword is pulled out, revealing a thick, single-edged golden blade, with its fuller is covered in old Persian writing. As the sword is drawn golden orbs fill the sky, taking on the shape of a multitude of swords. It's an extraordinary sword, something that cannot be copied even with Shizuka's five stones.

This is the [Golden Sword of Victory].

-x-

{1} Trueno, FD3S and Cappuccino: These are all references to cars, specifically the Toyota Sprinter AE86 Trueno GT-Apex, the Mazda RX-7 FD3S and Suzuki Cappuccino EA11R.

{2} Nitrti: Nitrti is the goddess of sorrow, misfortune and the realms of the dead. Also known as Alakshmi, because she is the opposite of her younger sister Lakshmi, who is the goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity.

{3} Endovelicus: The Lusitanian god of the sun, but most famously known for his protection over health and safety. Basically, the white mage of the gods.

{4} Itomuka, Yakushima: Mines located in the far north and south of Japan respectively. Since all other major mines lie between these two locations, it means that it's talking about all of Japan's mines. It's comparable to the saying "From Dan to Beersheba.

{5} Futsunushi: A Japanese god of war and swords. Followers always carry their weapon with them, and make oaths to the deity that give them power and protections.

{6} Kuraokami: A dragon god of rain and snow. the two poems of the incantation are originally from poets Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu respectively.

{7} These spell words represent the Bagua (Li Kun Dui Qian Kan Gen Zhen Xun) and the mantra of compassion (Om Mani Padme Hum). These were used by the Buddha on Sun Wukong to strengthen his entombment in a mountain.

-x-

Let's spill as little words as possible and explain the used authorities of future Shizuka. They're based on public speeches, body doubles, princess-protecting knights and regal mantles respectively:

 **[Achtung, Baby!]**

An authority of Germanic war hero Arminius, who descended upon this world because he found the patriotism of his people a bit… lacking. While Shizuka was on a business trip to Germany she managed to slay this deity, obtaining his authority in the process.

[Achtung, Baby!] functions like the Emergency Alert System (EAS) of the president, allowing Shizuka to give a rousing speech to those who hear it. Everyone in the direct area of Shizuka is forced to actively listen to these words and cannot interrupt it. Those who hear it via other media, like radio or television, can decide whether or not they want to listen to Shizuka.

The speech made by Shizuka has to go about a certain person/object, who will then become the target of this authority. When the speech ends this person/object will recover his wounds and magic energy based on the number of listeners Shizuka's speech has. If the target is a deity or Campione, then even recovery times for used authorities is shortened.

If recovering times are of the accumulating way, like Shizuka's [Philosopher Stones], then the authority will fill to that exact amount, meaning that an energy equal to 5 days will fill all five stones to five/seventh of their full power.

If recovering times are of the on/off switch type, then the energy will be rounded down. For example, if [Persian warlord] has used up 5 forms, and only enough energy to recover three and a half forms, then only the first three forms will be recovered.

A viewer does not add a certain percentage, but set amounts of power. Hence someone with double the HP of someone else will take twice as many listeners to heal, and recovery times of a day take less followers to recover then recovery times of a week or month.

Because an EAS can only be used for emergencies Shizuka needs to wait a month before being able to use this authority again.

 **[Goddess with the Third Eye]**

An authority obtained from the heretic god Erlang Shen, who thought it was a good idea to lead an invasion of Japan.

Allows for the user to create a body double of herself. This double is an exact copy of the user except for a third eye on the forehead, which is usually hidden by magic (or Shizuka's bangs). The copy can use Shizuka's authorities, but the mana pool of both original and replica is shared.

While the double is activated Shizuka can shapeshift her own body into a disguise. This can be as other humans, animals, she could even imitate one of the gods. However, while in disguise Shizuka is only able to use the skills, magic and authorities she shares with the one she is disguised as, though she retains the basic supernatural advantages of a Campione like magic resistance and superhuman stamina.

When the double is slain Shizuka immediately loses her disguise, and she cannot use this authority for a month.

 **[Shizuka's Vampire Knight]**  
Obtained from a Vampire-turned Baba Yaga after a grand adventure in the Balkan.

Allows for the summoning of a loyal and intelligent knight who protects Shizuka from harm. The knight able to be summoned depends on the time of day: The white knight can be summoned between sunrise and noon, the red knight can be summoned between noon and sunset, and the black knight can only be summoned if the sun is not hanging in the sky.

All three knights are mounted, but their strengths lie in different areas:

The red knight is fast to the point of godspeed, wielding a jousting lance, rapier and buckler.

The black knight has herculean strength, wielding a greataxe, mace and kite shield.

The white knight has supernatural endurance and defense, wielding a halberd, bastard sword and heater shield.

If a knight is dismissed or desummoned that knight cannot be called upon until the next dawn/noon/dusk, depending on the knight. If a knight is slain in battle then this entire authority cannot be used for a full moon cycle. A knight can only exist during the time in which it is summoned. If it reaches the limits of their time (e.g. the black knight exists until dawn) then the knight will automatically be desummoned.

 **[Coat of the Beast Princess]**  
Obtained from the Nemean lion, whose origin are lion goddesses like Sekhmet transformed by the Greeks to fit their mythology.

It takes the form of a golden coronation mantle, made from smoothed lion fur and with red silk-embroidered lion patterns. This mantle has the same function as the original Nemean lion's hide, being impervious to all mortal magic, weaponry or other means that are not authorities. Furthermore, it rejects "civilization", rendering authorities that mark the advancement of humanity ([Steel], [Culture], [Fire] etc.) useless if they come into touch with the one protected. Authorities over things that existed before humanity ([Sun], [Moon], [Nature] etc.) are still able to pierce through this mantle.

The mantle completely protects its wielder, even the parts that are not covered by the hide like the face. It can also be given to someone else to be worn, or used as a shield by covering yourself or others with the quite spacious mantle (2.)

If the mantle is destroyed this authority cannot be used again until Shizuka gets a new proof of coronation.

…

Well, those are the authorities of Shizuka. Heck, the biggest ordeal was to connect the references between all 4 authorities, which took me a few weeks. Who knows, maybe one of the readers understands why I named these authorities this way.

Finally, we need to speak about the one extra authority that that Louise has:

 **[Holy Pillager]**

An authority obtained from Nitrti, Hindu goddess of decay, sorrow and the death realms. When Louise successfully converted Agra to her religion, Nitrti tried to destroy the city rather than let it fall to that those zealots. A fight over Agra broke out, with Louise resulting as the victor.

This authority lets Louise pillage the surrounding area of its energy, slowly decaying, rotting and decomposing everything in a 1-kilometer radius until it has become a wasteland. The closer to the Godslayer you are, the faster the decaying occurs. Has no effect on gods or Campiones, while powerful mages can use protective magic to greatly slow their own decay.

The energy takes on a bluey, ethereal form that streams towards Louise, healing her while this authority is active as well as restoring her magic energy.


End file.
